The variational principle for a class of asymptotically abelian C*-algebras

Abstract

Let (A,\alpha) be a C*-dynamical system. We introduce the notion of pressure P_\alpha(H) of the automorphism \alpha at a self-adjoint operator H\in A. Then we consider the class of AF-systems satisfying the following condition: there exists a dense \alpha-invariant *-subalgebra \A of A such that for all pairs a,b\in\A the C*-algebra they generate is finite dimensional, and there is p=p(a,b)\in\N such that [\alpha^j(a),b]=0 for |j|\ge p. For systems in this class we prove the variational principle, i.e. show that P_\alpha(H) is the supremum of the quantities h_\phi(\alpha)-\phi(H), where h_\phi(\alpha) is the Connes-Narnhofer-Thirring dynamical entropy of \alpha with respect to the \alpha-invariant state \phi. If H\in\A, and P_\alpha(H) is finite, we show that any state on which the supremum is attained is a KMS-state with respect to a one-parameter automorphism group naturally associated with H. In particular, Voiculescu's topological entropy is equal to the supremum of h_\phi(\alpha), and any state of finite maximal entropy is a trace.