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[parent] $C^*$-algebra homomorphisms are continuous (Theorem)

Theorem - Let $ \mathcal{A}, \mathcal{B}$ be $ C^*$-algebras and $ f:\mathcal{A} \longrightarrow \mathcal{B}$ a *-homomorphism. Then $ f$ is bounded and $ \Vert f\Vert \leq 1$ (where $ \Vert f\Vert$ is the norm of $ f$ seen as a linear operator between the spaces $ \mathcal{A}$ and $ \mathcal{B}$).

For this reason it is often said that homomorphisms between $ C^*$-algebras are automatically continuous.

Corollary - A *-isomorphism between $ C^*$-algebras is an isometric isomorphism.
$ \;$

Proof of Theorem : Let us first suppose that $ \mathcal{A}$ and $ \mathcal{B}$ have identity elements, both denoted by $ e$.

We denote by $ \sigma(x)$ and $ R_{\sigma}(x)$ the spectrum and the spectral radius of an element $ x \in \mathcal{A}$ or $ \mathcal{B}$.

Let $ a \in \mathcal{A}$ and $ \lambda \in \mathbb{C}$. If $ a- \lambda e$ is invertible in $ \mathcal{A}$, then $ f(a- \lambda e)$ is invertible in $ \mathcal{B}$. Thus,

$\displaystyle \sigma(f(a)) \subseteq \sigma(a)\,. $
Hence $ R_{\sigma}(f(a)) \leq R_{\sigma}(a)$ for every $ a \in \mathcal{A}$. Therefore, by the result from this entry,
$\displaystyle \Vert f(a)\Vert = \sqrt{R_{\sigma}(f(a)^*f(a))} = \sqrt{R_{\sigma}(f(a^*a))} \leq \sqrt{R_{\sigma}(a^*a)}= \Vert a\Vert\,. $

We conclude that $ f$ is bounded and $ \Vert f\Vert \leq 1$.

If $ \mathcal{A}$ or $ \mathcal{B}$ do not have identity elements, we can consider their minimal unitizations, and the result follows from the above argument. $ \square$

Proof of Corollary : This follows from the fact that $ f^{-1}$ is also a *-homomorphism and therefore $ \Vert f^{-1}(b)\Vert\leq \Vert b\Vert$ for every $ b \in \mathcal{B}$. $ \square$



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Other names:  automatic continuity of $C^*$-homomorphisms, homomorphisms of $C^*$-algebras are continuous

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Cross-references: minimal unitizations, invertible, spectral radius, spectrum, identity elements, homomorphisms, linear operator, *-homomorphism
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This is version 9 of $C^*$-algebra homomorphisms are continuous, born on 2007-12-05, modified 2008-01-19.
Object id is 10105, canonical name is HomomorphismsOfCAlgebrasAreContinuous.
Accessed 464 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC46L05 (Functional analysis :: Selfadjoint operator algebras :: General theory of $C^*$-algebras)

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