A Note on Pseudofinite W*-Probability Spaces

Abstract

We introduce pseudofinite W*-probability spaces. These are W*-probability spaces that are elementarily equivalent to Ocneanu ultraproducts of finite-dimensional von Neumann algebras equipped with arbitrary faithful normal states. We are particularly interested in the case where these finite-dimensional von Neumann algebras are full matrix algebras: the pseudofinite factors. We show that these are indeed factors. We see as a consequence that pseudofinite factors are never of type $\mathrm{III}_0$. Mimicking the construction of the Powers factors, we give explicit families of examples of matrix algebra ultraproducts that are $\mathrm{III}_\lambda$ factors for $\lambda \in (0,1]$. We show that these examples share their universal theories with the corresponding Powers factor and thus have uncomputable universal theories. Finally, we show that pseudofinite factors are full. This generalizes a theorem of Farah-Hart-Sherman which shows that pseudofinite tracial factors do not have property $\Gamma$. It has the consequence that hyperfinite factors of type $\mathrm{III}$ (the Powers factors) are never pseudofinite. Our proofs combine operator algebraic insights with routine continuous logic syntactic arguments: using \L os' theorem to prove that certain sentences which are true for all matrix algebras are inherited by their ultraproducts.