Speaker: Hiroshi Ando (Univ. Copenhagen)

Title: On the noncommutativity of the central sequence C^* algebra F(A)

Time/Date: 4:30-6:00, Wed. November 5, 2014

Room: 122

Abstract: Both C^* and W^*-central sequence algebras are important in operator algebra theory. However, their behaviors are quite different. For example, while the W^* (tracial) central sequence algebra of the free group von Neumann algebra is trivial, C^*-central sequence algebra of the reduced free group C^* algebra C^*_r(F₂) is not. In 2004, Kirchberg asked a question whether the C^*-central sequence algebra of C^*_r(F₂) is non-commutative.

In a joint work with Kirchberg, we show that the answer is affirmative, i.e., the central sequence algebra is highly non-commutative.