*-Annihilators in Proper *-Semigroups

Abstract

We generalize some basic C*-algebra and von Neumann algebra theory on hereditary C*-subalgebras and projections. In particular, we extend Murray-von Neumann equivalence from projections to *-annihilators and show that several of its important properties also extend from von Neumann algebras to proper *-semigroups. Furthermore, we show how to obtain *-annihilator decompositions of a proper *-semigroup that correspond to classical von Neumann algebra type decompositions.