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We compute the automorphism group of the intersection graph of many large-type Artin groups. This graph is an analogue of the curve graph of mapping class groups but in the context of Artin groups. As an application, we deduce a number of rigidity and classification results for these groups, including computation of outer automorphism groups, commensurability classification, quasi-isometric rigidity, measure equivalence rigidity, orbit equivalence rigidity, rigidity of lattice embedding, and rigidity of cross-product von Neumann algebra., Comment: 52 pages, 9 figures

We prove that, under the continuum hypothesis $\frak c=\aleph_1$, any ultraproduct II$_1$ factor $M= \prod_{\omega} M_n$ of separable finite factors $M_n$ contains more than $\frak c$ many mutually disjoint singular MASAs, in other words the {\it singular abelian rank of} $M$, $\text{\rm r}(M)$, is larger than $ \frak c$. Moreover, if the strong continuum hypothesis $2^{\frak c}=\aleph_2$ is assumed, then ${\text{\rm r}}(M) = 2^{\frak c}$. More generally, these results hold true for any II$_1$ factor $M$ with unitary group of cardinality $\frak c$ that satisfies the bicommutant condition $(A_0'\cap M)'\cap M=M$, for all $A_0\subset M$ separable abelian., Comment: 12 pages. The paper is dedicated to Jacques Dixmier on the occasion of his 100th anniversary

The $q$-Araki-Woods factor associated to a group of orthogonal transformations on a real separable Hilbert space $\mathsf{H}_{\mathbb{R}}$ is full as soon as $\dim\mathsf{H}_{\mathbb{R}}\geq 2$., Comment: 18 pages; minor corrections; final version to appear in JLMS

In this paper we show that the cloning system construction of Skipper and Zaremsky [SZ21], under sufficient conditions, gives rise to Thompson-Like groups which are stable; in particular, these are McDuff groups in the sense of Deprez and Vaes [DV18]. This answers a question of Bashwinger and Zaremsky posed in [BZ23] in the affirmative. In the opposite direction, we show that the group von Neumann algebra for the Higman-Thompson groups $T_d$ and $V_d$ are both prime II$_1$ factors. This follows from a new deformation/rigidity argument for a certain class of groups which admit a proper cocycle into a quasi-regular representation that is not necessarily weakly $\ell^2$., Comment: Groups action on trees removed. Fix the proof Theorem 4.5 which is now Theorem 4.10. Removed an assumption from Theorem A (Theorem 3.3). Fixed the proof of Theorem D/corollary 6.5 (now Theorem C/corollary 5.11). Removed Theorem C. Fix Theorem 4.5 (now Theorem 4.10). Combined section 5 and 6. Corrected the proof of lemma 6.1 (now lemma 5.6). Corrected the proof of lemma 6.1 (now lemma 5.6)

The unique irreducible representation of $\SL_2(\R)$ on $\R^n$ induces an action, called the \textit{linear action}, of $\SL_2(\Z)$ on the torus $\T^n$ for every $n\geq 2$. For $n$ odd, it factors through $\PSL_2(\Z)$, so we denote by $G_n$ the group $\SL_2(\Z)$ for $n$ even, and $\PSL_2(\Z)$ for $n$ odd. We prove that the action is free and ergodic for every $n\geq 2$, that if $h\in \SL_2(\Z)$ is a hyperbolic element and if $n$ is even, then the action of the subgroup generated by $h$ is still ergodic, but also that, for $n$ odd, no amenable subgroup of $\PSL_2(\Z)$ acts ergodically on $\T^n$. We deduce also that every ergodic sub-equivalence relation $\Rr$ of the orbital equivalence relation $\mathcal{S}_n$ of $G_n$ on $\T^n$ is either amenable or rigid, extending a result by Ioana for $n=2$. This result has the following corollaries: firstly, for $n\geq 2$ even, if $H$ is a maximal amenable subgroup of $\SL_2(\Z)$ containing an hyperbolic matrix, then the associated crossed product II$_1$ factor $L^\infty(\T^n)\rtimes H$ is a maximal Haagerup subalgebra of $L^\infty(\T^n)\rtimes \SL_2(\Z)$; secondly , for every $n$, the fundamental group of $L^\infty(\T^n)\rtimes G_n$ is trivial., Comment: Section 3.2 fully re-written due to gap detected in the original version. Revised version to appear in Journal of Operator Theory

In 1967, Kadison asked "if $N$ is a subfactor of the factor $M$ for which $N' \cap M$ consists of scalars, will some maximal abelian *-subalgebra of $N$ be a maximal abelian subalgebra of $M$?". Generalizing a theorem of Popa in the type $\mathrm{II}$ case (1981), we solve Kadison's problem for all subfactors with expectation $N \subset M$ where $N$ is either a type $\mathrm{III}_\lambda$ factor with $0 \leq \lambda < 1$ or a type $\mathrm{III}_1$ factor that satisfies Connes's bicentralizer conjecture. Our solution is based on a new explicit formula for the bicentralizer algebras of arbitrary inclusions. This formula implies a type $\mathrm{III}$ analog of Popa's local quantization principle. We generalize Haaegrup's theorem from 1984 by connecting the relative bicentralizer conjecture to the Dixmier property. Finally, we prove this conjecture for a large class of inclusions and we prove an ergodicity theorem for the bicentralizer flow. We also give applications of our methods to $\mathrm{II}_1$ factors, including a new characterization of Ozawa's W*-Akemann-Ostrand property., Comment: 78 pages

We establish factoriality and non-injectivity in full generality for the mixed $q$-Araki-Woods von Neumann algebra associated to a separable real Hilbert space $\mathsf{H}_{\mathbf{R}}$ with $\dim\mathsf{H}_{\mathbf{R}}\geq 2$, a strongly continuous one parameter group of orthogonal transformations on $\mathsf{H}_\mathbb{R}$, a direct sum decomposition $\mathsf{H}_{\mathbf{R}}=\oplus_{i}\mathsf{H}_{\mathbb{R}}^{(i)}$, and a real symmetric matrix $(q_{ij})$ with $q=\sup_{i,j}|q_{ij}|<1$. This is achieved by first proving the existence of conjugate variables for a finite number of generators of the algebras, following the lines of Miyagawa-Speicher and Kumar-Skalski-Wasilewski. The conjugate variables belong to the factors in question and satisfy certain Lipschitz condition., Comment: 22 pages; Added a subsection on power series expansion of conjugate variables; To appear in Journal of Mathematical Physics

We establish factoriality of $q$-Araki-Woods von Neumann algebras (with the number of generators at least two) in full generality, exploiting the approach via conjugate variables developed recently in the tracial case by Akihiro Miyagawa and Roland Speicher, and abstract results of Brent Nelson. We also establish non-injectivity and determine the type of the factors in question. The factors are solid and full when the number of generators is finite., Comment: 11 pages; v4 adds a few minor comments. The final version of the paper will appear in Communications in Mathematical Physics

We prove that a large class of nonamenable almost periodic type ${\rm III_1}$ factors $M$, including all McDuff factors that tensorially absorb $R_\infty$ and all free Araki-Woods factors, satisfy Haagerup-Stormer's conjecture (1988): any pointwise inner automorphism of $M$ is the composition of an inner and a modular automorphism., Comment: 16 pages

We prove that the forgetful functors from the categories of $C^*$- and $W^*$-algebras to Banach $*$-algebras, Banach algebras or Banach spaces are all monadic, answering a question of J.Rosick\'{y}, and that the categories of unital (commutative) $C^*$-algebras are not locally-isometry $\aleph_0$-generated either as plain or as metric-enriched categories, answering a question of I. Di Liberti and Rosick\'{y}. We also prove a number of negative presentability results for the category of von Neumann algebras: not only is that category not locally presentable, but in fact its only presentable objects are the two algebras of dimension $\le 1$. For the same reason, for a locally compact abelian group $\mathbb{G}$ the category of $\mathbb{G}$-graded von Neumann algebras is not locally presentable., Comment: minor typo fixes; 23 pages + references

For each $\lambda\in\left]0,1\right]$ we exhibit an uncountable family of compact quantum groups $\mathbb{G}$ such that the von Neumann algebra $\mathsf{L}^{\!\infty}(\mathbb{G})$ is the injective factor of type $\mathrm{III}_\lambda$ with separable predual. We also show that uncountably many injective factors of type $\mathrm{III}_0$ arise as $\mathsf{L}^{\!\infty}(\mathbb{G})$ for some compact quantum group $\mathbb{G}$. To distinguish between our examples we introduce invariants related to the scaling group modeled on the Connes invariant $T$ for von Neumann algebras and investigate the connection between so obtained invariants of $\mathbb{G}$ and the Connes invariants $T(\mathsf{L}^{\!\infty}(\mathbb{G}))$, $S(\mathsf{L}^{\!\infty}(\mathbb{G}))$. In the final section we show that factors of type $\mathrm{I}$ cannot be obtained as $\mathsf{L}^{\!\infty}(\mathbb{G})$ for a non-trivial compact quantum group $\mathbb{G}$., Comment: Acknowledgments updated

A {\it W$^*$-representation} of a II$_1$ subfactor $N\subset M$ with finite Jones index, $[M:N]<\infty$, is a non-degenerate commuting square embedding of $N\subset M$ into an inclusion of atomic von Neumann algebras $\oplus_{i\in I} \Cal B(\Cal K_i)=\Cal N \subset^{\Cal E} \Cal M=\oplus_{j\in J} \Cal B(\Cal H_j)$. We undertake here a systematic study of this notion, first introduced in [P92], giving examples and considering invariants such as the (bipartite) {\it inclusion graph} $\Lambda_{\Cal N \subset \Cal M}$, the {\it coupling vector} $(\text{\rm dim}(_M\Cal H_j))_j$ and the {\it RC-algebra} (relative commutant) $M'\cap \Cal N$, for which we establish some basic properties. We then prove that if $N\subset M$ admits a W$^*$-representation $\Cal N\subset^{\Cal E}\Cal M$, with the expectation $\Cal E$ preserving a semifinite trace on $\Cal M$, such that there exists a norm one projection of $\Cal M$ onto $M$ commuting with $\Cal E$, a property of $N\subset M$ that we call {\it weak injectivity/amenability}, then $[M:N]$ equals the square norm of the inclusion graph $\Lambda_{\Cal N \subset \Cal M}$., Comment: many corrections and additions; 48 pages; final version, to appear in l'Enseignement Mathematique volume dedicated to Vaughan Jones

This article is devoted to studying the non-commutative Poisson boundary associated with $\Big(B\big(\mathcal{F}(\mathcal{H})\big), P_{\omega}\Big)$ where $\mathcal{H}$ is a separable Hilbert space (finite or infinite-dimensional), $\dim \mathcal{H} > 1$, with an orthonormal basis $\mathcal{E}$, $B\big(\mathcal{F}(\mathcal{H})\big)$ is the algebra of bounded linear operators on the full Fock space $\mathcal{F}(\mathcal{H})$ defined over $\mathcal{H}$, $\omega = \{\omega_e : e \in \mathcal{E} \}$ is a sequence of positive real numbers such that $\sum_e \omega_e = 1$ and $P_{\omega}$ is the Markov operator on $B\big(\mathcal{F}(\mathcal{H})\big)$ defined by \begin{align*} P_{\omega}(x) = \sum_{e \in \mathcal{E}} \omega_e l_e^* x l_e, \ x \in B\big(\mathcal{F}(\mathcal{H})\big), \end{align*} where, for $e \in \mathcal{E}$, $l_e$ denotes the left creation operator associated with $e$. The non-commutative Poisson boundary associated with $\Big(B\big(\mathcal{F}(\mathcal{H})\big), P_{\omega}\Big)$ turns out to be an injective factor of type $III$ for any choice of $\omega$. Moreover, if $\mathcal{H}$ is finite-dimensional, we completely classify the Poisson boundary in terms of its Connes $S$-invarinat and curiously they are type $III _{\lambda }$ factors with $\lambda$ belonging to a certain small class of algebraic numbers., Comment: Substantial revision has been made, proofs of some results are rewritten, one section is removed. To appear in Trans. Amer. Math. Soc

Let $\mathcal{M}$ be a type ${\rm II_1}$ factor and let $\tau$ be the faithful normal tracial state on $\mathcal{M}$. In this paper, we prove that given an $X \in \mathcal{M}$, $X=X^*$, then there is a decomposition of the identity into $N \in \mathbb{N}$ mutually orthogonal nonzero projections $E_j\in\mathcal{M}$, $I=\sum_{j=1}^NE_j$, such that $E_jXE_j=\tau(X) E_j$ for all $j=1,\cdots,N$. Equivalently, there is a unitary operator $U \in \mathcal{M}$ with $U^N=I$ and $\frac{1}{N}\sum_{j=0}^{N-1}{U^*}^jXU^j=\tau(X)I.$ As the first application, we prove that a positive operator $A\in \mathcal{M}$ can be written as a finite sum of projections in $\mathcal{M}$ if and only if $\tau(A)\geq \tau(R_A)$, where $R_A$ is the range projection of $A$. This result answers affirmatively Question 6.7 of [9]. As the second application, we show that if $X\in \mathcal{M}$, $X=X^*$ and $\tau(X)=0$, then there exists a nilpotent element $Z \in \mathcal{M}$ such that $X$ is the real part of $Z$. This result answers affirmatively Question 1.1 of [4]. As the third application, we show that let $X_1,\cdots,X_n\in \mathcal{M}$. Then there exist unitary operators $U_1,\cdots,U_k\in\mathcal{M}$ such that $\frac{1}{k}\sum_{i=1}^kU_i^{-1}X_jU_i=\tau(X_j)I,\quad \forall 1\leq j\leq n$. This result is a stronger version of Dixmier's averaging theorem for type ${\rm II}_1$ factors., Comment: In this new version, some typos are corrected

Let $M$ be a type ${\rm II}$ factor and let $\tau$ be the faithful positive semifinite normal trace, unique up to scalar multiples in the type ${\rm II}_\infty$ case and normalized by $\tau(I)=1$ in the type ${\rm II}_1$ case. Given $A\in M^+$, we denote by $A_+=(A-I)\chi_A(1,\|A\|]$ the excess part of $A$ and by $A_-=(I-A)\chi_A(0,1)$ the defect part of $A$. V. Kaftal, P. Ng and S. Zhang provided necessary and sufficient conditions for a positive operator to be the sum of a finite or infinite collection of projections (not necessarily mutually orthogonal) in type ${\rm I}$ and type ${\rm III}$ factors. For type ${\rm II}$ factors, V. Kaftal, P. Ng and S. Zhang proved that $\tau(A_+)\geq \tau(A_-)$ is a necessary condition for an operator $A\in M^+$ which can be written as the sum of a finite or infinite collection of projections and also sufficient if the operator is "diagonalizable". In this paper, we prove that if $A\in M^+$ and $\tau(A_+)\geq \tau(A_-)$, then $A$ can be written as the sum of a finite or infinite collection of projections. This result answers affirmatively a question raised by V. Kaftal, P. Ng and S. Zhang., Comment: 10 pages

We prove that if two transvection-free right-angled Artin groups are measure equivalent, then they have isomorphic extension graphs. As a consequence, two right-angled Artin groups with finite outer automorphism groups are measure equivalent if and only if they are isomorphic. This matches the quasi-isometry classification. However, in contrast with the quasi-isometry question, we observe that no right-angled Artin group is superrigid for measure equivalence in the strongest possible sense, for two reasons. First, a right-angled Artin group $G$ is always measure equivalent to any graph product of infinite countable amenable groups over the same defining graph. Second, when $G$ is nonabelian, the automorphism group of the universal cover of the Salvetti complex of $G$ always contains infinitely generated (non-uniform) lattices., Comment: v3: Final accepted version

We construct centrally large subalgebras in crossed products of $C (X, D)$ by automorphisms in which $D$ is simple, $X$ is compact metrizable, the automorphism induces a minimal homeomorphism of $X$, and a mild technical assumption holds. We use this construction to prove structural properties of the crossed product, such as (tracial) $Z$-stability, stable rank one, real rank zero, and pure infiniteness, in a number of examples. Our examples are not accessible via methods based on finite Rokhlin dimension, either because $D$ is not $Z$-stable or because $X$ is infinite dimensional., Comment: 45 pages; AMSLaTeX

This work discovers a novel link between probability theory (of stable random fields) and von Neumann algebras. It is established that the group measure space construction corresponding to a minimal representation is an invariant of a stationary symmetric $\alpha$-stable (S$\alpha$S) random field indexed by any countable group $G$. When $G=\mathbb{Z}^d$, we characterize ergodicity (and also absolute non-ergodicity) of stationary S$\alpha$S fields in terms of the central decomposition of this crossed product von Neumann algebra coming from any (not necessarily minimal) Rosinski representation. This shows that ergodicity (or the complete absence of it) is a $W^\ast$-rigid property (in a suitable sense) for this class of fields. All our results have analogues for stationary max-stable random fields as well., Comment: Minor typos have been fixed. Remark 6.6 (a list of problems/conjectures that have been resolved recently) has been added. 30 pages, 1 figure

We show that Bogoljubov actions of $\mathbb{R}$ on the free group factor $L(\mathbb{F}_{\infty})$ associated to sums of infinite multiplicity trivial and certain mixing representations are cocycle conjugate if and only if the underlying representations are conjugate.

An inclusion of von Neumann factors $M \subset \Cal M$ is {\it ergodic} if it satisfies the irreducibility condition $M'\cap \Cal M=\Bbb C$. We investigate the relation between this and several stronger ergodicity properties, such as $R$-{\it ergodicity}, which requires $M$ to admit an embedding of the hyperfinite II$_1$ factor $R\hookrightarrow M$ that's ergodic in $\Cal M$. We prove that if $M$ is {\it continuous} (i.e., non type I) and contains a maximal abelian $^*$-subalgebra of $\Cal M$, then $M\subset \Cal M$ is $R$-ergodic. This shows in particular that any continuous factor contains an ergodic copy of $R$., Comment: July 2020: Updated to take into account the recent Das-Peterson double-ergodicity theorem for II1 factors (see 2nd part of Theorem 1.1 and comments around Problem 7.4). Paper dedicated to the memory of Dick Kadison, to appear in Communications Math Physics

One of the earliest invariants introduced in the study of finite von Neumann algebras is the property Gamma of Murray and von Neumann. In this note we prove that it is not possible to classify separable $\rm{II}_1$ factors satisfying the property Gamma up to isomorphism by a Borel measurable assignment of countable structures as invariants. We also show that the same holds true for the full $\rm{II}_1$ factors., Comment: Old paper from 2015 that appeared in Revista de la Uni\'on Matem\'atica Argentina

We show that every inclusion of von Neumann algebras with a faithful normal conditional expectation has the weak relative Dixmier property. This answers a question of Popa \cite{Po99}. The proof uses an improvement of Ellis' lemma for compact convex semigroup., Comment: 4 pages

We obtain several rigidity results regarding tensor product decompositions of factors. First, we show that any full factor with separable predual has at most countably many tensor product decompositions up to stable unitary conjugacy. We use this to show that the class of separable full factors with countable fundamental group is stable under tensor products. Next, we obtain new primeness and unique prime factorization results for crossed products coming from compact actions of higher rank lattices (e.g.\ $\mathrm{SL}(n,\mathbb{Z}), \: n \geq 3$) and noncommutative Bernoulli shifts with arbitrary base (not necessarily amenable). Finally, we provide examples of full factors without any prime factorization., Comment: 30 pages

For the noncommutative 2-torus, we define and study Fourier transforms arising from representations of states with central supports in the bidual, exhibiting a possibly nontrivial modular structure (i.e. type III representations). We then prove the associated noncommutative analogous of Riemann-Lebesgue Lemma and Hausdorff-Young Theorem. In addition, the $L^p$- convergence result of the Cesaro means (i.e. the Fejer theorem), and the Abel means reproducing the Poisson kernel are also established, providing inversion formulae for the Fourier transforms in $L^p$ spaces, $p\in[1,2]$. Finally, in $L^2(M)$ we show how such Fourier transforms "diagonalise" appropriately some particular cases of modular Dirac operators, the latter being part of a one-parameter family of modular spectral triples naturally associated to the previously mentioned non type ${\rm II}_1$ representations., Comment: 36 pages, to appear in Journal of Fourier Analysis and Applications

We show that if $M$ is a full factor and $N \subset M$ is a co-amenable subfactor with expectation, then $N$ is also full. This answers a question of Popa from 1986. We also generalize a theorem of Tomatsu by showing that if $M$ is a full factor and $\sigma \colon G \curvearrowright M$ is an outer action of a compact group $G$, then $\sigma$ is automatically minimal and $M^G$ is a full factor which has w-spectral gap in $M$. Finally, in the appendix, we give a proof of the fact that several natural notions of co-amenability for an inclusion $N\subset M$ of von Neumann algebras are equivalent, thus closing the cycle of implications given in Anantharaman-Delaroche's paper in 1995., Comment: 15 pages, Remark 3.6 is added

In this paper we study the associated flow of some factors arising as fixed point algebras under product type actions on ITPFI factors. We compute their associated flow and show that under certain conditions these flows are approximately transitive and consequently the corresponding fixed point factors are ITPFI., Comment: 13 pages

We show that a factor $M$ is full if and only if the $C^*$-algebra generated by its left and right regular representations contains the compact operators. We prove that the bicentralizer flow of a type $\mathrm{III}_1$ factor is always ergodic. As a consequence, for any type $\mathrm{III}_1$ factor $M$ and any $\lambda \in ]0,1]$, there exists an irreducible AFD type $\mathrm{III}_\lambda$ subfactor with expectation in $M$. Moreover, any type $\mathrm{III}_1$ factor $M$ which satisfies $M \cong M \otimes R_\lambda$ for some $\lambda \in ]0,1[$ has trivial bicentralizer. Finally, we give a counter-example to the characterization of approximately inner automorphisms conjectured by Connes and we prove a weaker version of this conjecture. In particular, we obtain a new proof of Kawahigashi-Sutherland-Takesaki's result that every automorphism of the AFD type $\mathrm{III}_1$ factor is approximately inner., Comment: 16 pages

We prove that any separable II$_1$ factor $M$ admits a {\it coarse decomposition} over the hyperfinite II$_1$ factor $R$, i.e., there exists an embedding $R\hookrightarrow M$ such that $L^2M\ominus L^2R$ is a multiple of the coarse Hilbert $R$-bimodule $L^2R \overline{\otimes} L^2R^{op}$ (equivalently, the von Neumann algebra generated by left and right multiplication by $R$ on $L^2M\ominus L^2R$ is isomorphic to $R\overline{\otimes}R^{op}$). Moreover, if $Q\subset M$ is an infinite index irreducible subfactor, then $R\hookrightarrow M$ can be constructed so that to also be coarse with respect to $Q$. This result implies existence of MASAs that are mixing, strongly malnormal, and with infinite multiplicity, in any separable II$_1$ factor., Comment: June 2020: several minor corrections and added comments, submitted

Let $M$ be an arbitrary factor and $\sigma : \Gamma \curvearrowright M$ an action of a discrete group. In this paper, we study the fullness of the crossed product $M \rtimes_\sigma \Gamma$. When $\Gamma$ is amenable, we obtain a complete characterization: the crossed product factor $M \rtimes_\sigma \Gamma$ is full if and only if $M$ is full and the quotient map $\overline{\sigma} : \Gamma \rightarrow \mathrm{Out}(M)$ has finite kernel and discrete image. This answers a question of Jones from 1981. When $M$ is full and $\Gamma$ is arbitrary, we give a sufficient condition for $M \rtimes_\sigma \Gamma$ to be full which generalizes both Jones' criterion and Choda's criterion. In particular, we show that if $M$ is any full factor (possibly of type $\mathrm{III}$) and $\Gamma$ is a non-inner amenable group, then the crossed product $M \rtimes_\sigma \Gamma$ is full., Comment: 9 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1611.07914

We investigate the structure of the relative bicentralizer algebra ${\rm B}(N \subset M, \varphi)$ for inclusions of von Neumann algebras with normal expectation where $N$ is a type ${\rm III_1}$ subfactor and $\varphi \in N_*$ is a faithful state. We first construct a canonical flow $\beta^\varphi : \mathbf R^*_+ \curvearrowright {\rm B}(N \subset M, \varphi)$ on the relative bicentralizer algebra and we show that the W$^*$-dynamical system $({\rm B}(N \subset M, \varphi), \beta^\varphi)$ is independent of the choice of $\varphi$ up to a canonical isomorphism. In the case when $N=M$, we deduce new results on the structure of the automorphism group of ${\rm B}(M,\varphi)$ and we relate the period of the flow $\beta^\varphi$ to the tensorial absorption of Powers factors. For general irreducible inclusions $N \subset M$, we relate the ergodicity of the flow $\beta^\varphi$ to the existence of irreducible hyperfinite subfactors in $M$ that sit with normal expectation in $N$. When the inclusion $N \subset M$ is discrete, we prove a relative bicentralizer theorem and we use it to solve Kadison's problem when $N$ is amenable., Comment: 37 pages. v2: minor modifications, a few results added

An ergodic p.m.p. equivalence relation $ \mathcal{R}$ is said to be stable if $\mathcal{R} \cong \mathcal{R} \times \mathcal{R}_0$ where $\mathcal{R}_0$ is the unique hyperfinite ergodic type $\mathrm{II}_1$ equivalence relation. We prove that a direct product $\mathcal{R} \times \mathcal{S}$ of two ergodic p.m.p. equivalence relations is stable if and only if one of the two components $\mathcal{R}$ or $\mathcal{S}$ is stable. This result is deduced from a new local characterization of stable equivalence relations. The similar question on McDuff $\mathrm{II}_1$ factors is also discussed and some partial results are given., Comment: 14 pages

We define the standard Borel space of free Araki-Woods factors and prove that their isomorphism relation is not classifiable by countable structures. We also prove that equality of $\tau$-topologies, arising as invariants of type III factors, as well as coycle and outer conjugacy of actions of abelian groups on free product factors are not classifiable by countable structures., Comment: v3: minor changes, final version, to appear in Groups, Geometry, and Dynamics

Let $M$ be a II$_1$ factor with a von Neumann subalgebra $Q\subset M$ that has infinite index under any projection in $Q'\cap M$ (e.g., $Q$ abelian; or $Q$ an irreducible subfactor with infinite Jones index). We prove that given any separable subalgebra $B$ of the ultrapower II$_1$ factor $M^\omega$, for a non-principal ultrafilter $\omega$ on $\Bbb N$, there exists a unitary element $u\in M^\omega$ such that $uBu^*$ is orthogonal to $Q^\omega$., Comment: Final version. To appear in Publ RIMS

In this paper we show that the natural action of the symmetric group acting on the product space $\{0, 1 \}^{\mathbb{N}} $ endowed with a symmetric measure is approximately transitive. We also extend the result to a larger class of probability measures., Comment: 15 pages

We provide a fairly large family of amalgamated free product groups $\Gamma=\Gamma_1\ast_{\Sigma}\Gamma_2$ whose amalgam structure can be completely recognized from their von Neumann algebras. Specifically, assume that $\Gamma_i$ is a product of two icc non-amenable bi-exact (e.g., hyperbolic) groups, and $\Sigma$ is icc amenable and has trivial one-sided commensurator in $\Gamma_i$, for every $i\in\{1,2\}$. Then $\Gamma$ satisfies the following rigidity property: any group $\La$ such that $L(\La)$ is isomorphic to $L(\G)$ admits an amalgamated free product decomposition $\La=\La_1\ast_\Delta \La_2$ such that the inclusions $L(\Delta)\subseteq L(\La_i)$ and $L(\Sigma)\subseteq L(\G_i)$ are isomorphic, for every $i\in\{1,2\}$. This result significantly strengthens some of the previous Bass-Serre rigidity results for von Neumann algebras. As a corollary, we obtain the first examples of amalgamated free product groups which are W$^*$-superrigid., Comment: 24 pages; this new version includes new examples of C*-superrigid groups (Corollary C) and more references; comments are welcome!

We obtain a spectral gap characterization of strongly ergodic equivalence relations on standard measure spaces. We use our spectral gap criterion to prove that a large class of skew-product equivalence relations arising from measurable $1$-cocycles with values into locally compact abelian groups are strongly ergodic. By analogy with the work of Connes on full factors, we introduce the Sd and $\tau$ invariants for type ${\rm III}$ strongly ergodic equivalence relations. As a corollary to our main results, we show that for any type ${\rm III_1}$ ergodic equivalence relation $\mathcal R$, the Maharam extension $\mathord{\text {c}}(\mathcal R)$ is strongly ergodic if and only if $\mathcal R$ is strongly ergodic and the invariant $\tau(\mathcal R)$ is the usual topology on $\mathbf R$. We also obtain a structure theorem for almost periodic strongly ergodic equivalence relations analogous to Connes' structure theorem for almost periodic full factors. Finally, we prove that for arbitrary strongly ergodic free actions of bi-exact groups (e.g. hyperbolic groups), the Sd and $\tau$ invariants of the orbit equivalence relation and of the associated group measure space von Neumann factor coincide., Comment: 28 pages. To appear in Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems

We show that any type ${\rm III_1}$ factor with separable predual satisfying Connes' Bicentralizer Property (CBP) has a singular maximal abelian $\ast$-subalgebra that is the range of a normal conditional expectation. We also investigate stability properties of CBP under finite index extensions/restrictions of type ${\rm III_1}$ factors., Comment: 10 pages. To appear in the Proceedings of the 9th MSJ-SI "Operator Algebras and Mathematical Physics" held in Sendai, Japan (2016)

We show that the tensor product $M \mathbin{\overline{\otimes}} N$ of any two full factors $M$ and $N$ (possibly of type ${\rm III}$) is full and we compute Connes' invariant $\tau(M \mathbin{\overline{\otimes}} N)$ in terms of $\tau(M)$ and $\tau(N)$. The key novelty is an enhanced spectral gap property for full factors of type ${\rm III}$. Moreover, for full factors of type ${\rm III}$ with almost periodic states, we prove an optimal spectral gap property. As an application of our main result, we also show that for any full factor $M$ and any non-type ${\rm I}$ amenable factor $P$, the tensor product factor $M \mathbin{\overline{\otimes}} P$ has a unique McDuff decomposition, up to stable unitary conjugacy., Comment: 22 pages. v3: section on generalized Bernoulli crossed products and appendix removed

We prove that if $\Gamma$ is an icc irreducible lattice in a product of connected non-compact rank one simple Lie groups with finite center, then the II$_1$ factor $L(\Gamma)$ is prime. In particular, we deduce that the II$_1$ factors associated to the arithmetic groups $\text{PSL}_2(\mathbb Z[\sqrt{d}])$ and $\text{PSL}_2(\mathbb Z[S^{-1}])$ are prime, for any square-free integer $d\geq 2$ with $d\not\equiv 1 mod{4}$ and any finite non-empty set of primes $S$. This provides the first examples of prime II$_1$ factors arising from lattices in higher rank semisimple Lie groups. More generally, we describe all tensor product decompositions of $L(\Gamma)$ for icc countable groups $\Gamma$ that are measure equivalent to a product of non-elementary hyperbolic groups. In particular, we show that $L(\Gamma)$ is prime, unless $\Gamma$ is a product of infinite groups, in which case we prove a unique prime factorization result for $L(\Gamma)$.

We consider an iterative procedure for constructing maximal abelian $^*$-subalgebras (MASAs) satisfying prescribed properties in II$_1$ factors. This method pairs well with the intertwining by bimodules technique and with properties of the MASA and of the ambient factor that can be described locally. We obtain such a local characterization for II$_1$ factors $M$ that have an {\it s-MASA}, $A\subset M$ (i.e., for which $A \vee JAJ$ is maximal abelian in $\Cal B(L^2M)$), and use this strategy to prove that any factor in this class has uncountably many non-intertwinable singular (respectively semiregular) s-MASAs., Comment: 29 pages; several additions (e.g, improved 2.1 and an "added in the proof") and corrections; slight modification of Prop 3.4 and Lemma 3.5; small additions and corrections, paper will appear in this form in Kyoto Journal of Math

We introduce the fundamental group $F(\mathcal{M})$ of a finite von Neumann algebra $\mathcal{M}$ with finite dimensional normal trace space. The form of $F(\mathcal{M})$ is completely determined. Moreover, there exists a finite von Neumann algebra $\mathcal{M}$ with finite dimensional normal trace space such that $F(\mathcal{M})=G$ for any conceivable groups $G$ as fundamental group.

By analogy with the well-established notions of just-infinite groups and just-infinite (abstract) algebras, we initiate a systematic study of just-infinite C*-algebras, i.e., infinite dimensional C*-algebras for which all proper quotients are finite dimensional. We give a classification of such C*-algebras in terms of their primitive ideal space that leads to a trichotomy. We show that just-infinite, residually finite dimensional C*-algebras do exist by giving an explicit example of (the Bratteli diagram of) an AF-algebra with these properties. Further, we discuss when C*-algebras and *-algebras associated with a discrete group are just-infinite. If $G$ is the Burnside-type group of intermediate growth discovered by the first named author, which is known to be just-infinite, then its group algebra $C[G]$ and its group C*-algebra $C^*(G)$ are not just-infinite. Furthermore, we show that the algebra $B = \pi(C[G])$ under the Koopman representation $\pi$ of $G$ associated with its canonical action on a binary rooted tree is just-infinite. It remains an open problem whether the residually finite dimensional C*-algebra $C^*_\pi(G)$ is just-infinite., Comment: 36 pages. To appear in Commentarii Math. Helvetici

Recently C. Houdayer and Y. Isono have proved among other things that every biexact group $\Gamma$ has the property that for any non-singular strongly ergodic action $\Gamma\curvearrowright (X,\mu)$ on a standard measure space the group measure space von Neumann algebra $\Gamma\ltimes L^\infty(X)$ is full. In this note, we prove the same property for a wider class of groups, notably including $\mathrm{SL}(3,{\mathbb Z})$. We also prove that for any connected simple Lie group $G$ with finite center, any lattice $\Gamma\le G$, and any closed non-amenable subgroup $H\le G$, the non-singular action $\Gamma\curvearrowright G/H$ is strongly ergodic and the von Neumann factor $\Gamma\ltimes L^\infty(G/H)$ is full., Comment: 8 pages; minor corrections (v2); more corrections (v3); Compos. Math., to appear

We show that any amenable von Neumann subalgebra of any free Araki-Woods factor that is globally invariant under the modular automorphism group of the free quasi-free state is necessarily contained in the almost periodic free summand., Comment: 9 pages

In a previous paper, the authors introduced the idea of a symmetric pair of operators as a way to compute self-adjoint extensions of symmetric operators. In brief, a symmetric pair consists of two densely defined linear operators $A$ and $B$, with $A \subseteq B^\star$ and $B \subseteq A^\star$. In this paper, we will show by example that symmetric pairs may be used to deduce closability of operators and sometimes even compute adjoints. In particular, we prove that the Malliavin derivative and Skorokhod integral of stochastic calculus are closable, and the closures are mutually adjoint. We also prove that the basic involutions of Tomita-Takesaki theory are closable and that their closures are mutually adjoint. Applications to functions of finite energy on infinite graphs are also discussed, wherein the Laplace operator and inclusion operator form a symmetric pair., Comment: 17 pages

We investigate the asymptotic structure of (possibly type III) crossed product von Neumann algebras $M = B \rtimes \Gamma$ arising from arbitrary actions $\Gamma \curvearrowright B$ of bi-exact discrete groups (e.g. free groups) on amenable von Neumann algebras. We prove a spectral gap rigidity result for the central sequence algebra $N' \cap M^\omega$ of any nonamenable von Neumann subalgebra with normal expectation $N \subset M$. We use this result to show that for any strongly ergodic essentially free nonsingular action $\Gamma \curvearrowright (X, \mu)$ of any bi-exact countable discrete group on a standard probability space, the corresponding group measure space factor ${\rm L}^\infty(X) \rtimes \Gamma$ has no nontrivial central sequence. Using recent results of Boutonnet-Ioana-Salehi Golsefidy [BISG15], we construct, for every $0 < \lambda \leq 1$, a type III$_\lambda$ strongly ergodic essentially free nonsingular action $\mathbf F_\infty \curvearrowright (X_\lambda, \mu_\lambda)$ of the free group $\mathbf F_\infty$ on a standard probability space so that the corresponding group measure space type III$_\lambda$ factor ${\rm L}^\infty(X_\lambda, \mu_\lambda) \rtimes \mathbf F_\infty$ has no nontrivial central sequence by our main result. In particular, we obtain the first examples of group measure space type III factors with no nontrivial central sequence., Comment: 22 pages. v2: Final version