On the structure of isometries between noncommutative Lp spaces

Abstract

We prove some structure results for isometries between noncommutative Lp spaces associated to von Neumann algebras. We find that an isometry T: Lp(M_1) to Lp(M_2) (1 le p < infty, p not 2) can be canonically expressed in a certain simple form whenever M_1 has variants of Watanabe&#39;s extension property. Conversely, this form always defines an isometry provided that M_1 is &#34;approximately semifinite&#34; (defined below). Although neither of these properties is fully understood, we show that they are enjoyed by all semifinite algebras and hyperfinite algebras (with no summand of type I_2), plus others. Thus the classification is stronger than Yeadon&#39;s theorem for semifinite algebras (and its recent improvement in [JRS]), and the proof uses independent techniques. Related to this, we examine the modular theory for positive projections from a von Neumann algebra onto a Jordan image of another von Neumann algebra, and use such projections to construct new Lp isometries by interpolation. Some complementary results and questions are also presented.