Duality for actions of weak Kac algebras and crossed product inclusions of II_1 factors

Abstract

We show that indecomposable weak Kac algebras are free over their Cartan subalgebras and prove a duality theorem for their actions. Using this result, for any biconnected weak Kac algebra we construct a minimal action on the hyperfinite II_1 factor. The corresponding crossed product inclusion of II_1 factors has depth 2 and an integer index. Its first relative commutant is, in general, non-trivial, so we derive some arithmetic properties of weak Kac algebras from considering reduced subfactors.