arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Bram Mesland.
We review the theory of Toeplitz extensions and their role in operator K-theory, including Kasparov's bivariant K-theory. We then discuss the recent applications of Toeplitz algebras in the study of solid state systems, focusing in particular on the bulk-edge correspondence for topological insulators.
In this paper we introduce the curvature of densely defined universal connections on Hilbert $C^{*}$-modules relative to a spectral triple (or unbounded Kasparov module), obtaining a well-defined curvature operator. Fixing the spectral triple, we find that modulo junk forms, the curvature only depends on the represented form of the universal connection. We refine our definition of curvature to factorisations of unbounded Kasparov modules. Our refined definition recovers all the curvature data of a Riemannian submersion of compact manifolds, viewed as a $KK$-factorisation.
Let G be a semisimple Lie group and H a uniform lattice in G. The Selberg trace formula is an equality arising from computing in two different ways the traces of convolution operators on the Hilbert space L^2(G/H) associated to test functions. In this paper we present a cohomological interpretation of the trace formula involving the K-theory of the maximal group C*-algebras of G and H. As an application, we exploit the role of group C*-algebras as recipients of higher indices of elliptic differential operators and we obtain the index theoretic version of the Selberg trace formula developed by Barbasch and Moscovici from ours.
We examine the index data associated to twisted spectral triples and higher order spectral triples. In particular, we show that a Lipschitz regular twisted spectral triple can always be `logarithmically dampened' through functional calculus, to obtain an ordinary (i.e. untwisted) spectral triple. The same procedure turns higher order spectral triples into spectral triples. We provide examples of highly regular twisted spectral triples with nontrivial index data for which Moscovici's ansatz for a twisted local index formula is identically zero.
We propose a new notion of unbounded $K\!K$-cycle, mildly generalising unbounded Kasparov modules, for which the direct sum is well-defined. To a pair $(A,B)$ of $σ$-unital $C^{*}$-algebras, we can then associate a semigroup $\overline{U\!K\!K}(A,B)$ of homotopy equivalence classes of unbounded cycles, and we prove that this semigroup is in fact an abelian group. In case $A$ is separable, our group $\overline{U\!K\!K}(A,B)$ is isomorphic to Kasparov's $K\!K$-theory group $K\!K(A,B)$ via the bounded transform. We also discuss various notions of degenerate cycles, and we prove that the homotopy relation on unbounded cycles coincides with the relation generated by operator-homotopies and addition of degenerate cycles.
We examine the noncommutative index theory associated to the dynamics of a Delone set and the corresponding transversal groupoid. Our main motivation comes from the application to topological phases of aperiodic lattices and materials, and applies to invariants from tilings as well. Our discussion concerns semifinite index pairings, factorisation properties of Kasparov modules and the construction of unbounded Fredholm modules for lattices with finite local complexity.
We introduce a notion of weak anticommutativity for a pair (S,T) of self-adjoint regular operators in a Hilbert-C*-module E. We prove that the sum $S+T$ of such pairs is self-adjoint and regular on the intersection of their domains. A similar result then holds for the sum S^2+T^2 of the squares. We show that our definition is closely related to the Connes-Skandalis positivity criterion in $KK$-theory. As such we weaken a sufficient condition of Kucerovsky for representing the Kasparov product. Our proofs indicate that our conditions are close to optimal.
Let $Γ$ be a lattice in a locally compact group $G$. In earlier work, we used $KK$-theory to equip the $K$-groups of any $Γ$-$C^{*}$-algebra on which the commensurator of $Γ$ acts with Hecke operators. When $Γ$ is arithmetic, this gives Hecke operators on the $K$-theory of certain $C^{*}$-algebras that are naturally associated with $Γ$. In this paper, we first study the topological $K$-theory of the arithmetic manifold associated to $Γ$. We prove that the Chern character commutes with Hecke operators. Afterwards, we show that the Shimura product of double cosets naturally corresponds to the Kasparov product and thus that the $KK$-groups associated to an arithmetic group $Γ$ become true Hecke modules. We conclude by discussing Hecke equivariant maps in $KK$-theory in great generality and apply this to the Borel-Serre compactification as well as various noncommutative compactifications associated with $Γ$. Along the way we discuss the relation between the $K$-theory and the integral cohomology of low-dimensional manifolds as Hecke modules.
Let $Γ$ be a torsion-free arithmetic group acting on its associated global symmetric space $X$. Assume that $X$ is of non-compact type and let $Γ$ act on the geodesic boundary $\partial X$ of $X$. Via general constructions in KK-theory, we endow the K-groups of the arithmetic manifold $X/Γ$, of the reduced group C*-algebra of $Γ$ and of the boundary crossed product algebra associated to the action of $Γ$ on $\partial X$, with Hecke operators. The K-theory and K-homology groups of these C*-algebras are related by a Gysin six-term exact sequence. In the case when $Γ$ is a group of real hyperbolic isometries, we show that this Gysin sequence is Hecke equivariant. Finally, in the case when $Γ$ is a subgroup of a Bianchi group, we construct explicit Hecke-equivariant maps between the integral cohomology of $Γ$ and each of these K-groups. Our methods apply to torsion-free finite index subgroups of $PSL(2,\mathbb{Z})$ as well. These results are achieved in the context of unbounded Fredholm modules, shedding light on noncommutative geometric aspects of the purely infinite boundary crossed product algebra.
An operator *-algebra is a non-selfadjoint operator algebra with completely isometric involution. We show that any operator *-algebra admits a faithful representation on a Hilbert space in such a way that the involution coincides with the operator adjoint up to conjugation by a symmetry. We introduce operator *-correspondences as a general class of inner product modules over operator *-algebras and prove a similar representation theorem for them. From this we derive the existence of linking operator *-algebras for operator *-correspondences. We illustrate the relevance of this class of inner product modules by providing numerous examples arising from noncommutative geometry.
We give a construction of an odd spectral triple on the Cuntz algebra $O_{N}$, whose $K$-homology class generates the odd $K$-homology group $K^1(O_{N})$. Using a metric measure space structure on the Cuntz-Renault groupoid, we introduce a singular integral operator which is the formal analogue of the logarithm of the Laplacian on a Riemannian manifold. Assembling this operator with the infinitesimal generator of the gauge action on $O_{N}$ yields a $θ$-summable spectral triple whose phase is finitely summable. The relation to previous constructions of Fredholm modules and spectral triples on $O_{N}$ is discussed.
We show how the fine structure in shift-tail equivalence, appearing in the noncommutative geometry of Cuntz-Krieger algebras developed by the first two authors, has an analogue in a wide range of other Cuntz-Pimsner algebras. To illustrate this structure, and where it appears, we produce an unbounded representative of the defining extension of the Cuntz-Pimsner algebra constructed from a finitely generated projective bi-Hilbertian module, extending work by the third author with Robertson and Sims. As an application, our construction yields new spectral triples for Cuntz- and Cuntz-Krieger algebras and for Cuntz-Pimsner algebras associated to vector bundles twisted by equicontinuous $*$-automorphisms.
We consider Hilsum's notion of bordism as an equivalence relation on unbounded $KK$-cycles and study the equivalence classes. Upon fixing two $C^*$-algebras, and a $*$-subalgebra dense in the first $C^*$-algebra, a $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$-graded abelian group is obtained; it maps to the Kasparov $KK$-group of the two $C^*$-algebras via the bounded transform. We study properties of this map both in general and in specific examples. In particular, it is an isomorphism if the first $C^*$-algebra is the complex numbers (i.e., for $K$-theory) and is a split surjection if the first $C^*$-algebra is the continuous functions on a compact manifold with boundary when one uses the Lipschitz functions as the dense $*$-subalgebra.
This paper extends the notion of a spectral triple to a relative spectral triple, an unbounded analogue of a relative Fredholm module for an ideal $J\triangleleft A$. Examples include manifolds with boundary, manifolds with conical singularities, dimension drop algebras, $θ$-deformations and Cuntz-Pimsner algebras of vector bundles. The bounded transform of a relative spectral triple is a relative Fredholm module, making the image of a relative spectral triple under the boundary mapping in $K$-homology easy to compute. We introduce an additional operator called a Clifford normal with which a relative spectral triple can be doubled into a spectral triple. The Clifford normal also provides a boundary Hilbert space, a representation of the quotient algebra, a boundary Dirac operator and an analogue of the Calderon projection. In the examples this data does assemble to give a boundary spectral triple, though we can not prove this in general. When we do obtain a boundary spectral triple, we provide sufficient conditions for the boundary triple to represent the $K$-homological boundary. Thus we abstract the proof of Baum-Douglas-Taylor's "boundary of Dirac is Dirac on the boundary" theorem into the realm of non-commutative geometry.
We study irreducible Smale spaces with totally disconnected stable sets and their associated $K$-theoretic invariants. Such Smale spaces arise as Wieler solenoids, and we restrict to those arising from open surjections. The paper follows three converging tracks: one dynamical, one operator algebraic and one $K$-theoretic. Using Wieler's Theorem, we characterize the unstable set of a finite set of periodic points as a locally trivial fibre bundle with discrete fibres over a compact space. This characterization gives us the tools to analyze an explicit groupoid Morita equivalence between the groupoids of Deaconu-Renault and Putnam-Spielberg, extending results of Thomsen. The Deaconu-Renault groupoid and the explicit Morita equivalence leads to a Cuntz-Pimsner model for the stable Ruelle algebra. The $K$-theoretic invariants of Cuntz-Pimsner algebras are then studied using the Pimsner extension, for which we construct an unbounded representative. To elucidate the power of these constructions we characterize the KMS weights on the stable Ruelle algebra of a Wieler solenoid. We conclude with several examples of Wieler solenoids, their associated algebras and spectral triples.
By considering the general properties of approximate units in differentiable algebras, we are able to present a unified approach to characterising completeness of spectral metric spaces, existence of connections on modules, and the lifting of Kasparov products to the unbounded category. In particular, by strengthening Kasparov's technical theorem, we show that given any two composable KK-classes, we can find unbounded representatives whose product can be constructed to yield an unbounded representative of the Kasparov product.
We produce a variety of odd bounded Fredholm modules and odd spectral triples on Cuntz-Krieger algebras by means of realizing these algebras as "the algebra of functions on a non-commutative space" coming from a sub shift of finite type. We show that any odd $K$-homology class can be represented by such an odd bounded Fredholm module or odd spectral triple. The odd bounded Fredholm modules that are constructed are finitely summable. The spectral triples are $θ$-summable although their bounded transform, when constructed using the sign-function, will already on the level of analytic $K$-cycles be finitely summable bounded Fredholm modules. Using the unbounded Kasparov product, we exhibit a family of generalized spectral triples, possessing mildly unbounded commutators, whilst still giving well defined $K$-homology classes.
We explore factorizations of noncommutative Riemannian spin geometries over commutative base manifolds in unbounded KK-theory. After setting up the general formalism of unbounded KK-theory and improving upon the construction of internal products, we arrive at a natural bundle-theoretic formulation of gauge theories arising from spectral triples. We find that the unitary group of a given noncommutative spectral triple arises as the group of endomorphisms of a certain Hilbert bundle; the inner fluctuations split in terms of connections on, and endomorphisms of, this Hilbert bundle. Moreover, we introduce an extended gauge group of unitary endomorphisms and a corresponding notion of gauge fields. We work out several examples in full detail, to wit Yang--Mills theory, the noncommutative torus and the $θ$-deformed Hopf fibration over the two-sphere.