Pure Math 822 - Dilation Theory - Winter 2013

Meeting Time: Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 -- 10:30
Room: MC 5046

Course outline

This course is an introduction to dilation theory and abstract operator algebras. It has roots in the theory of completely positive maps and dilation theory, and Arveson's approach to studying nonself-adjoint algebras via the minimal enveloping C*-algebra, the C*-envelope.
  1. Background on C*-algebras and operator theory
  2. Sz.Nagy and Ando dilation theorems, Commutant lifting theorem.
  3. Completely positive maps, Stinespring's Theorem.
  4. Arveson extension and dilation theorems.
  5. C*-envelope (Dritschel--McCullough, Arveson approach).
  6. Completely bounded maps, Wittstock's theorem.
  7. Completely bounded homomorphisms (Paulsen, Haagerup, Christensen)
  8. Polynomially bounded operators, Pisier's counterexample.
  9. Time permitting:
  10. Universal operator algebras, factorization, Pisier's similarity degree.
  11. Dilation theory and semicrossed products.

Required Background

The student needs a good course in functional analysis. Some further exposure to operator theory or operator algebras would be an asset.

Reference Texts

The main text for the course will be: Other useful references are:

Grading

1. Problem Sets70
2. Talk and paper 30

Topics for student seminars

Assignments

Solutions



Back to Ken Davidson's Home Page