On positivity of the Kadison constant and noncommutative Bloch theory

Abstract

In an earlier paper, we established a natural connection between the Baum-Connes conjecture and noncommutative Bloch theory, viz. the spectral theory of projectively periodic elliptic operators on covering spaces. We elaborate on this connection here and provide significant evidence for a fundamental conjecture in noncommutative Bloch theory on the non-existence of Cantor set type spectrum. This is accomplished by establishing an explicit lower bound for the Kadison constant of twisted group C*-algebras in a large number of cases, whenever the multiplier is rational.