On the ranges of bimodule projections

Abstract

We develop a symbol calculus for normal bimodule maps over a masa that is the natural analogue of the Schur product theory. Using this calculus we are able to easily give a complete description of the ranges of contractive normal bimodule idempotents that avoids the theory of J*-algebras. We prove that if $P$ is a normal bimodule idempotent and $\|P\| < 2/\sqrt{3}$ then $P$ is a contraction. We finish with some attempts at extending the symbol calculus to non-normal maps.