Semigroups of local homeomorphisms and interaction groups

Abstract

Given a semigroup of local homeomorphisms on a compact space X we consider the corresponding semigroup of *-endomorphisms on C(X) and discuss the possibility of extending it to an interaction group, a concept recently introduced by the first named author. Under suitable hypotheses we may also define a transformation groupoid whose C*-algebra turns out to be isomorphic to the crossed product algebra for the interaction group. Several examples are considered, including one which gives rise to a slightly different construction and should be interpreted as being the C*-algebra of a certain polymorphism.