English

Nilpotent group C*-algebras as compact quantum metric spaces

Operator Algebras 2019-08-15 v1 Classical Analysis and ODEs Metric Geometry

Abstract

Let LL be a length function on a group GG, and let MLM_L denote the operator of pointwise multiplication by LL on 2(G)\ell^2(G). Following Connes, MLM_L can be used as a "Dirac" operator for the reduced group C*-algebra Cr(G)C_r^*(G). It defines a Lipschitz seminorm on Cr(G)C_r^*(G), which defines a metric on the state space of Cr(G)C_r^*(G). We show that for any length function of a strong form of polynomial growth on a discrete group, the topology from this metric coincides with the weak-* topology (a key property for the definition of a "compact quantum metric space"). In particular, this holds for all word-length functions on finitely generated nilpotent-by-finite groups.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1508.00980,
  title  = {Nilpotent group C*-algebras as compact quantum metric spaces},
  author = {Michael Christ and Marc A. Rieffel},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1508.00980},
  year   = {2019}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T10:26:45.025Z