We define the notion of self-tracial stability for tracial von Neumann algebras and show that a tracial von Neumann algebra satisfying the Connes embedding problem (CEP) is self-tracially stable if and only if it is amenable. We then generalize a result of Jung by showing that a separable tracial von Neumann algebra that satisfies the CEP is amenable if and only if any two embeddings into $R^{\mathcal{U}}$ are ucp-conjugate. Moreover, we show that for a II$_1$ factor $N$ satisfying CEP, the space $\mathbb{H}$om$(N, \prod _{k\to \mathcal{U}}M_k)$ of unitary equivalence classes of embeddings is separable if and only $N$ is hyperfinite. This resolves a question of Popa for Connes embeddable factors. These results hold when we further ask that the pairs of embeddings commute, admitting a nontrivial action of $\textrm{Out}(N\otimes N)$ on ${\mathbb{H}}\textrm{om}(N\otimes N, \prod _{k\to \mathcal{U}}M_k)$ whenever $N$ is non-amenable. We also obtain an analogous result for commuting sofic representations of countable sofic groups.
We define the notion of self-tracial stability for tracial von Neumann algebras and show that a tracial von Neumann algebra satisfying the Connes Embedding Problem is self-tracially stable if and only if it is amenable. We then generalize a result of Jung by showing that a separable tracial von Neumann algebra that satisfies the Connes Embedding Problem is amenable if and only if any two embeddings into R U are ucp-conjugate. Building on a corollary of this result, we completely resolve a question of Popa modulo the Connes Embedding Problem.
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 invariant 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.
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