Geometry of the tensor product of C*-algebras

Abstract

When and ℬ are C*-algebras their algebraic tensor product ⊗ ℬ is a *-algebra in a natural way. Until recently, work on tensor products of C*-algebras has concentrated on norms α which make the completion ⊗α ℬ into a C*-algebra. The crucial role played by the Haagerup norm in the theory of operator spaces and completely bounded maps has produced some interest in more general norms (see [8; 12]). In this paper we investigate geometrical properties of algebra norms on ⊗ ℬ. By an ‘algebra norm’ we mean a norm which is sub-multiplicative: α(u.v) ≤ ≤ α(u).α(v).