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Stefaan Vaes

Publications and source records attributed to Stefaan Vaes.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2015

Paving over arbitrary MASAs in von Neumann algebras

We consider a paving property for a maximal abelian *-subalgebra (MASA) $A$ in a von Neumann algebra $M$, that we call so-paving, involving approximation in the so-topology, rather than in norm (as in classical Kadison-Singer paving). If $A$ is the range of a normal conditional expectation, then so-paving is equivalent to norm paving in the ultrapower inclusion $A^ω\subset M^ω$. We conjecture that any MASA in any von Neumann algebra satisfies so-paving. We use [MSS13] to check this for all MASAs in $\mathcal B(\ell^2 \mathbb N)$, all Cartan subalgebras in amenable von Neumann algebras and in group measure space II$_1$ factors arising from profinite actions. By [P13], the conjecture also holds true for singular MASAs in II$_1$ factors, and we obtain here an improved paving size $C\varepsilon^{-2}$, which we show to be sharp.

math.OA↗
arXiv2014

Partial classification of the Baumslag-Solitar group von Neumann algebras

We prove that the rational number |n/m| is an invariant of the group von Neumann algebra of the Baumslag-Solitar group BS(n,m). More precisely, if L(BS(n,m)) is isomorphic with L(\BS(n',m')), then |n'/m'| = |n/m| or |m/n|. We obtain this result by associating to abelian, but not maximal abelian, subalgebras of a II_1 factor, an equivalence relation that can be of type III. In particular, we associate to L(BS(n,m)) a canonical equivalence relation of type III_|n/m|.

math.OA↗
arXiv2013

Families of hyperfinite subfactors with the same standard invariant and prescribed fundamental group

We construct irreducible hyperfinite subfactors of index 6 with a prescribed fundamental group from a large family containing all countable and many uncountable subgroups of R_+. We also prove that there are unclassifiably many irreducible hyperfinite group-type subfactors of index 6 that all have the same standard invariant. More precisely, we associate such a subfactor to every ergodic measure preserving automorphism of the interval [0,1] and prove that the resulting subfactors are isomorphic if and only if the automorphisms are conjugate.

math.OA↗
arXiv2013

Unique Cartan decomposition for II_1 factors arising from arbitrary actions of free groups

We prove that for any free ergodic probability measure preserving action \F_n \actson (X,μ) of a free group on n generators \F_n, 2 \leq n \leq \infty, the associated group measure space II_1 factor $L^\infty(X) \rtimes \F_n$ has L^\infty(X) as its unique Cartan subalgebra, up to unitary conjugacy. We deduce that group measure space II_1 factors arising from actions of free groups with different number of generators are never isomorphic. We actually prove unique Cartan decomposition results for II_1 factors arising from arbitrary actions of a rather large family of groups, including all free products of amenable groups and their direct products.

math.OA↗
arXiv2013

Normalizers inside amalgamated free product von Neumann algebras

Recently, Adrian Ioana proved that all crossed products by free ergodic probability measure preserving actions of a nontrivial free product group Γ_1 * Γ_2 have a unique Cartan subalgebra up to unitary conjugacy. Ioana deduced this result from a more general dichotomy theorem on the normalizer N_M(A)'' of an amenable subalgebra A of an amalgamated free product von Neumann algebra M = M_1 *_B M_2. We improve this dichotomy theorem by removing the spectral gap assumptions and obtain in particular a simpler proof for the uniqueness of the Cartan subalgebra in crossed products by Γ_1 * Γ_2.

math.OA↗
arXiv2013

L^2-Betti numbers of locally compact groups and their cross section equivalence relations

We prove that the L^2-Betti numbers of a unimodular locally compact group G coincide, up to a natural scaling constant, with the L^2-Betti numbers of the countable equivalence relation induced on a cross section of any essentially free ergodic probability measure preserving action of G. As a consequence, we obtain that the reduced and un-reduced L^2-Betti numbers of G agree and that the L^2-Betti numbers of a lattice Gamma in G equal those of G up to scaling by the covolume of Gamma in G. We also deduce several vanishing results, including the vanishing of the reduced L^2-cohomology for amenable locally compact groups.

math.GR↗
arXiv2012

W*-superrigidity for group von Neumann algebras of left-right wreath products

We prove that for many nonamenable groups Γ, including all hyperbolic groups and all nontrivial free products, the left-right wreath product group G := (Z/2Z)^(Γ) \rtimes (Γ\times Γ) is W*-superrigid. This means that the group von Neumann algebra LG entirely remembers G. More precisely, if LG is isomorphic with LΛfor an arbitrary countable group Λ, then Λmust be isomorphic with G.

math.OA↗
arXiv2012

A class of superrigid group von Neumann algebras

We prove that for any group G in a fairly large class of generalized wreath product groups, the associated von Neumann algebra L(G) completely "remembers" the group G. More precisely, if L(G) is isomorphic to the von Neumann algebra L(Λ) of an arbitrary countable group Λ, then Λ must be isomorphic to G. This represents the first superrigidity result pertaining to group von Neumann algebras.

math.OA↗
arXiv2012

A class of II_1 factors with many non conjugate Cartan subalgebras

We construct a class of II_1 factors M that admit unclassifiably many Cartan subalgebras in the sense that the equivalence relation of being conjugate by an automorphism of M is complete analytic, in particular non Borel. We also construct a II_1 factor that admits uncountably many non isomorphic group measure space decompositions, all involving the same group G. So G is a group that admits uncountably many non stably orbit equivalent actions whose crossed product II_1 factors are all isomorphic.

math.OA↗
arXiv2012

Stable orbit equivalence of Bernoulli actions of free groups and isomorphism of some of their factor actions

We give an elementary proof for Lewis Bowen's theorem saying that two Bernoulli actions of two free groups, each having arbitrary base probability spaces, are stably orbit equivalent. Our methods also show that for all compact groups K and every free product Γof n infinite amenable groups, the factor K^Γ/K of the Bernoulli action of Γon K^Γ by the diagonal action of K, is isomorphic with a Bernoulli action of Γ.

math.OA↗
arXiv2012

Type III factors with unique Cartan decomposition

We prove that for any free ergodic nonsingular nonamenable action Γ \actson (X,μ) of all Γ in a large class of groups including all hyperbolic groups, the associated group measure space factor $L^\infty(X) \rtimes Γ$ has L^\infty(X) as its unique Cartan subalgebra, up to unitary conjugacy. This generalizes the probability measure preserving case that was established in [PV12]. We also prove primeness and indecomposability results for such crossed products, for the corresponding orbit equivalence relations and for arbitrary amalgamated free products $M_1 *_B M_2$ over a subalgebra B of type I.

math.OA↗
arXiv2012

One-cohomology and the uniqueness of the group measure space decomposition of a II_1 factor

We provide a unified and self-contained treatment of several of the recent uniqueness theorems for the group measure space decomposition of a II_1 factor. We single out a large class of groups Γ, characterized by a one-cohomology property, and prove that for every free ergodic probability measure preserving action of Γthe associated II_1 factor has a unique group measure space Cartan subalgebra up to unitary conjugacy. Our methods follow closely a recent article of Chifan-Peterson, but we replace the usage of Peterson's unbounded derivations by Thomas Sinclair's dilation into a one-parameter group of automorphisms.

math.OA↗
arXiv2011

A class of groups for which every action is W*-superrigid

We prove the uniqueness of the group measure space Cartan subalgebra in crossed products A \rtimes Γcovering certain cases where Γis an amalgamated free product over a non-amenable subgroup. In combination with Kida's work we deduce that if Σ< SL(3,\Z) denotes the subgroup of matrices g with g_31 = g_32 = 0, then any free ergodic probability measure preserving action of Γ= SL(3,\Z) *_ΣSL(3,\Z) is stably W*-superrigid. In the second part we settle a technical issue about the unitary conjugacy of group measure space Cartan subalgebras.

math.OA↗
arXiv2011

Rigid actions need not be strongly ergodic

A probability measure preserving action of Γon (X,μ) is called rigid if the inclusion of L^\infty(X) into the crossed product L^\infty(X) \rtimes Γhas the relative property (T) in the sense of Popa. We give examples of rigid, free, probability measure preserving actions that are ergodic but not strongly ergodic. The same examples show that rigid actions may admit non-rigid quotients.

math.OA↗
arXiv2010

On the fundamental group of II_1 factors and equivalence relations arising from group actions

Given a countable group G, we consider the sets S_factor(G), S_eqrel(G), of subgroups F of the positive real line for which there exists a free ergodic probability measure preserving action G on X such that the fundamental group of the associated II_1 factor, respectively orbit equivalence relation, equals F. We prove that if G is the free product of Z and infinitely many copies of a non-trivial group Γ, then S_factor(G) and S_eqrel(G) contain R_+ itself, all of its countable subgroups, as well as uncountable subgroups whose log can have any Hausdorff dimension in the interval (0,1). We then prove that if G=Γ*Λ, with Γ, Λfinitely generated ICC groups, one of which has property (T), then S_factor(G)=S_eqrel(G)={1}. We also show that there exist II_1 factors M such that the fundamental group of M is R_+, but the associated II_\infty factor M tensor B(l^2) admits no continuous trace scaling action of R_+.

math.OA↗
arXiv2010

Rigidity for von Neumann algebras and their invariants

We give a survey of recent classification results for crossed product von Neumann algebras arising from measure preserving group actions on probability spaces. This includes II_1 factors with uncountable fundamental groups and the construction of W*-superrigid actions where the crossed product entirely remembers the initial group action that it was constructed from.

math.OA↗