Extension of Spectral Scales to Unbounded Operators

Abstract

We extend the notion of a spectral scale to n-tuples of unbounded operators affiliated with a finite von Neumann Algebra. We focus primarily on the single-variable case and show that many of the results from the bounded theory go through in the unbounded situation. We present the currently available material on the unbounded multivariable situation. Sufficient conditions for a set to be a spectral scale are established. The relationship between convergence of operators and the convergence of the corresponding spectral scales is investigated. We establish a connection between the Akemann et al. spectral scale (1999) and that of Petz (1985).