A topology on E-theory

Abstract

For separable $C^*$-algebras $A$ and $B$, we define a topology on the set $[[A, B]]$ consisting of homotopy classes of asymptotic morphisms from $A$ to $B$. This gives an enrichment of the Connes--Higson asymptotic category over topological spaces. We show that the Hausdorffization of this category is equivalent to the shape category of Dadarlat. As an application, we obtain a topology on the $E$-theory group $E(A, B)$ with properties analogous to those of the topology on $KK(A, B)$. The Hausdorffized $E$-theory group $EL(A, B) = E(A, B) / \overline{\{0\}}$ is also introduced and studied. We obtain a continuity result for the functor $EL(\,\cdot\,,B)$, which implies a new continuity result for the functor $KL(\,\cdot\,,B)$.