C*-simplicity of HNN extensions and groups acting on trees

Abstract

We study non-ascending HNN extensions acting on their Bass-Serre trees, and characterize C*-simplicity and the unique trace property by means of the kernel and quasi-kernels of the HNN extension in question. We also present a concrete example of an HNN extension that is a new example of a group that is not C*-simple but does have the unique trace property. Additionally, we include certain more general results, mostly based on previous work of various authors, concerning C*-simplicity of groups admitting extreme boundary actions, and in particular, groups acting on trees.