Properly proximal groups and von Neumann algebras

Abstract

We introduce the notion of proper proximality for finite von Neumann algebras, which naturally extends the notion of proper proximality for groups. Apart from the group von Neumann algebras of properly proximal groups, we provide a number of additional examples, including examples in the settings of free products, crossed products, and compact quantum groups. Using this notion, we answer a question of Popa by showing that the group von Neumann algebra of a nonamenable inner amenable group cannot embed into a free group factor. We also introduce a notion of proper proximality for probability measure preserving actions, which gives an in- variant for the orbit equivalence relation. This gives a new approach for establishing strong ergodicity type properties, and we use this in the setting of Gaussian actions to expand on solid ergodicity results first established by Chifan and Ioana, and later generalized by Boutonnet. The techniques developed also allow us to answer a problem left open by Anantharaman-Delaroche in 1995, by showing the equivalence between the Haagerup property and the compact approximation property for II1 factors. We also show that for a countable exact group, having positive first l2-Betti number implies proper proximality in this sense of Boutonnet, Ioana and Peterson. This is achieved by showing a cocycle superrigidty result for Bernoulli shifts of non-properly proximal groups. We also obtain that Bernoulli shifts of countable, nonamenable, i.c.c., exact, non-properly proximal groups are OE-superrigid.