English

Predual and tight operator systems

Operator Algebras 2026-07-31 v1

Abstract

Given a (not necessarily unital) complete operator system SS with a generating cone, there are some studies in literature on the operator system dual SdS^\mathrm{d} of SS, i.e., the dual matrix-ordered space SS^* equipped with a matrix norm that turns it into a dual operator system satisfying certain universal property. In order to do further study on SdS^\mathrm{d}, one needs to consider the operator system predual construction. More precisely, given a dual operator system VV with a generating cone, there is a matrix norm on the predual space VV_*, that turns it into a complete operator system V#V_\# satisfying certain universal property. In this article, we show that VTdV\cong T^\mathrm{d} for a complete operator system TT if and only if VV satisfies a natural property called tightness; in this case, V(V#)dV\cong (V_\#)^\mathrm{d}. Furthermore, we establish that if SS is tight, then SW#S\cong W_\# for a dual operator system WW; in fact S(Sd)#S\cong (S^\mathrm{d})_\#. Since all unital complete operator systems and all CC^*-algebra are tight, one sees that every unital complete operator system and every CC^*-algebra is of the form W#W_\#, for a dual operator system WW.

Cite

@article{arxiv.2607.28911,
  title  = {Predual and tight operator systems},
  author = {Chi-Keung Ng and Xin-Rui Tan},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.28911},
  year   = {2026}
}