English

Strong sums of projections in type ${\rm II}$ factors

Operator Algebras 2020-10-21 v1

Abstract

Let MM be a type II{\rm II} factor and let τ\tau be the faithful positive semifinite normal trace, unique up to scalar multiples in the type II{\rm II}_\infty case and normalized by τ(I)=1\tau(I)=1 in the type II1{\rm II}_1 case. Given AM+A\in M^+, we denote by A+=(AI)χA(1,A]A_+=(A-I)\chi_A(1,\|A\|] the excess part of AA and by A=(IA)χA(0,1)A_-=(I-A)\chi_A(0,1) the defect part of AA. V. Kaftal, P. Ng and S. Zhang provided necessary and sufficient conditions for a positive operator to be the sum of a finite or infinite collection of projections (not necessarily mutually orthogonal) in type I{\rm I} and type III{\rm III} factors. For type II{\rm II} factors, V. Kaftal, P. Ng and S. Zhang proved that τ(A+)τ(A)\tau(A_+)\geq \tau(A_-) is a necessary condition for an operator AM+A\in M^+ which can be written as the sum of a finite or infinite collection of projections and also sufficient if the operator is "diagonalizable". In this paper, we prove that if AM+A\in M^+ and τ(A+)τ(A)\tau(A_+)\geq \tau(A_-), then AA can be written as the sum of a finite or infinite collection of projections. This result answers affirmatively a question raised by V. Kaftal, P. Ng and S. Zhang.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2010.10099,
  title  = {Strong sums of projections in type ${\rm II}$ factors},
  author = {Xinyan Cao and Junsheng Fang and Zhaolin Yao},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2010.10099},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

10 pages