Existence of tracial states on reduced group C*-algebras

Abstract

Let $G$ be a locally compact group. It is not always the case that its reduced C*-algebra $C^*_r(G)$ admits a tracial state. We exhibit closely related necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of such. We gain a complete answer when $G$ compactly generated. In particular for $G$ almost connected, or more generally when $C^*_r(G)$ is nuclear, the existence of a trace is equivalent to amenability. We exhibit two examples of classes of totally disconnected groups for which $C^*_r(G)$ does not admit a tracial state.