In this paper, for a C*-Algebra A with M = M(A) an AW*-algebra, or equivalently, for an essential, norm-closed, two-sided ideal A of an AW*-algebra M, we investigate the strict approximability of the elements of M from commutative C*- subalgebras of A. In the relevant case of the norm-closed linear span A of all finite projections in a semi-finite AW*-algebra M we shall give a complete description of the strict closure in M of any maximal abelian self-adjoint subalgebra (masa) of A. We shall see that the situation is completely different for discrete respectively continuous M : in the discrete case, for any masa C of A, the strict closure of C is equal to the relative commutant of C in M, while in the continuous case, under certain conditions concerning the center valued quasitrace of the finite reduced algebras of M (satisfied by all von Neumann algebras), C is already strictly closed. Thus in the continuous case no elements of M which are not already belonging to A can be strictly approximated from commutative C*-subalgebras of A. In spite of this pathology of the strict topology in the case of the norm-closed linear span of all finite projections of a continuous semi-finite AW*-algebra, we shall prove that in general situations including also this case, any normal y in M is equal modulo A to some x in M which belongs to an order theoretical closure of an appropriate commutative C*-subalgebra of A. In other words, if we replace the strict topology with order theoretical approximation, Weyl-von Neumann-Berg-Sikonia type theorems will hold in substantially greater generality.
Apart from presenting some new insights and results, one of our main purposes is to put some records in the development of von Neumann modules straight. The von Neumann or $W^*$-objects among the Hilbert ($C^*$-)modules are around since the first papers by Paschke (1973) and Rieffel (1974) that lift Kaplansky's setting (1953) to modules over noncommutative $C^*$-algebras. While the formal definition of $W^*$-modules} is due to Baillet, Denizeau, and Havet (1988), the one of von Neumann modules as strongly closed operator spaces started with Skeide (2000). It has been paired with the definition…
We show that any free product of finite-dimensional von Neumann algebras equipped with non-tracial states is isomorphic to a free Araki-Woods factor with its free quasi-free state possibly direct sum a finite-dimensional von Neumann algebra. This gives a complete answer to questions posed by Dykema and Shlyakhtenko, which had been partially answered by work of Houdayer and work of Ueda. We also extend this to suitable infinite-dimensional von Neumann algebras with almost periodic states.
We introduce the relative Haagerup approximation property for a unital, expected inclusion of arbitrary von Neumann algebras and show that if the smaller algebra is finite then the notion only depends on the inclusion itself, and not on the choice of the conditional expectation. Several variations of the definition are shown to be equivalent in this case, and in particular the approximating maps can be chosen to be unital and preserving the reference state. The concept is then applied to amalgamated free products of von Neumann algebras and used to deduce that the standard Haagerup property fo…
