Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2508.05834

The unitary group of a $\mathrm{II}_1$ factor is SOT-contractible

David Jekel
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We show that the unitary group of any SOT-separable $\mathrm{II}_1$ factor $M$, with the strong operator topology, is contractible. Combined with several old results, this implies that the same is true for any SOT-separable von Neumann algebra with no type $\mathrm{I}_n$ direct summands ($n < \infty$). The proof for the $\mathrm{II}_1$-factor case uses regularization via free convolution and Popa's theorem on the existence of approximately free Haar unitaries in $\mathrm{II}_1$ factors.

Explore related subjects

math.OA

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

David Jekel. 2025-08-07. The unitary group of a $\mathrm{II}_1$ factor is SOT-contractible. https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.05834

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

On the II$_{1}$ Factors of Fuchsian Groups

We show that von Neumann algebras of fundamental groups of closed orientable surfaces of genus $g\geq2$ are free group factors on $2g-1$generators. The key technical ingredient involves a proof that the element $w=ABA^{-1}B^{-1}$ of the free group $\mathbb{F}_{2}=\langle A,B\rangle$ is freely complemented in the group factor: $L(\mathbb{F}_{2})=W^{*}(w)*W^{*}(v)$ for some Haar unitary $v\in L(\mathbb{F}_{2})$ that is freely independent from $w$. Combined with previous results, we conclude that for an arbitrary finitely generated torsion-free non-elementary discrete subgroup $\Gamma\subset PSL_{2}(\mathbb{R})$, $L(\Gamma)$ is a free group factor, settling a conjecture of de la Harpe and Voiculescu. This result was obtained using OpenAI's ChatGPT Pro 6.0.

math.OA↗
arXiv2026

On AF- and type I-ideals in certain crossed product C$^\ast$-algebras

We study locally finite-dimensional ideals in crossed products of totally disconnected spaces by free actions of the integers and in uniform Roe algebras of exact discrete groups. In the first case, we present a dynamical description of the largest locally finite-dimensional ideal, which turns out to coincide with the intersection of all maximal ideals. In the latter case, we provide a coarse geometric characterization of the locally finite-dimensional compact ideals. Moreover, we show that for crossed products of totally disconnected spaces by free actions of exact groups, the largest type I-ideal is locally finite-dimensional. In the case of uniform Roe algebras, we provide coarse geometric conditions for compact ideals guaranteeing that the ideal is type I and admits an embedding of a UHF-algebra, respectively.

math.OA↗
arXiv2026

Continuous family of compact quantum metric space structures from cocycle twisted crossed product $\textrm{C}^{\ast}$-algebras

We establish the existence of a three-parameter family of compact quantum metric space structures on cocycle twisted crossed products by discrete groups. We are mainly interested in the case where the acting group has exponential/subexponential growth. We prove that the family is jointly continuous with respect to the parameters when the acting group is exact. We obtain quantitative upper and lower bounds for the associated metric dimensions. In particular, the bounds are helpful to prove the failure of lower semicontinuity of the metric dimension with respect to the quantum Gromov-Hausdorff distance. We also prove invariance of metric dimension under zero quantum Gromov-Hausdorff distance.

math.OA↗