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The commutant is $A^{\prime }=\{T\in \mathrm{End}V:Ta=aT\text{ for every }a\in A\}$. Clearly $A\subseteq A^{\prime \prime }$. For the reverse inclusion, first note that $A\xi$ is an invariant subspace for the unital star-algebra $A$, and its orthogonal complement is invariant too. Its projection belongs to $A^{\prime }$. Thus if $B\in A^{\prime \prime }$, $B\xi \in A\xi$.

To make the same algebra element work for all vectors, amplify to $V^d$, where $d=\dim V$. The diagonal action $a^{(d)}$ has commutant consisting of block matrices whose entries belong to $A^{\prime }$. Therefore $B^{(d)}$ commutes with this amplified commutant. For a basis ${\xi }_1,\dots ,{\xi }_d$, the subspace $\{(a{\xi }_1,\dots ,a{\xi }_d):a\in A\}$ is invariant and reducing for the amplified algebra. Its projection lies in that commutant. The preceding argument gives some $a\in A$ with $(B{\xi }_1,\dots ,B{\xi }_d)=(a{\xi }_1,\dots ,a{\xi }_d)$. Since these vectors form a basis, $B=a$. HenceThis finite-dimensional double commutant theorem for star-algebras uses the star hypothesis to make the orbit subspaces reducing.

First, all lifts of the real one-parameter projective group commute. Its scalar commutator $c(s,t)$ is again a continuous alternating bicharacter. For fixed nonzero $t$ and an integer $n>0$, a lift of $t$ is a phase multiple of the $n$th power of a lift of $t/n$; hence $c(t,t/n)=1$ and $c(t,mt/n)=1$ for every integer $m$. Rational multiples of $t$ are dense in $\mathbb{R}$, so continuity makes $c(t,s)=1$ for every $s$.

Choose a unitary $U$ representing $\rho (1)$ and the allowed self-adjoint logarithm $A\in U^{\prime \prime }$ with $U=e^{iA}$. Every lift of $\rho (t)$ commutes with $U$, hence with $A$ by the double commutant theorem for star-algebras condition. Thereforeis a continuous projective homomorphism, with $\tilde{\rho }(1)=1$. It is periodic of period one and descends to $\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Z}$. Part (b) lifts it to a continuous unitary homomorphism $L$ of that circle. Each $L(t)$ is a lift of $\tilde{\rho }(t)$ and commutes with $A$, since a representative has the form of an original lift times $e^{-itA}$. Thusis a strongly continuous unitary homomorphism with projective class $\rho (t)$. This gives the required lift of the whole real group, not just unrelated unitary representatives at each time.

Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional real or complex inner product space, and let $A\subseteq \mathrm{End}(V)$ be a unital subalgebra stable under the adjoint operator. Define its commutant of an operator algebra by $A^{\prime }=\{T:Ta=aT\text{ for all }a\in A\}$. The double commutant theorem for star-algebras asserts $\boxed{A^{\prime \prime }=A}$. The inclusion $A\subseteq A^{\prime \prime }$ follows immediately from the definition; we prove the reverse.

Write $N=\dim V$, fix a basis $v_1,\dots ,v_N$, and act diagonally on $V^N$. The linear subspaceis invariant under every diagonal $a$. Since $A$ is closed under adjoints, its orthogonal complement $W^{\perp }$ is invariant too: $⟨aw,z⟩=⟨w,a^{\ast }z⟩=0$ for $w\in W^{\perp }$, $z\in W$. Hence the orthogonal projection $P$ onto $W$ commutes with every diagonal $a$.

Writing $P$ as an $N$ by $N$ block matrix $(P_{ij})$, this says $P_{ij}a=a{P}_{ij}$, so each $P_{ij}\in A^{\prime }$. If $b\in A^{\prime \prime }$, it commutes with every $P_{ij}$, and its diagonal action therefore commutes with $P$ and preserves $W$. Because $1\in A$, $(v_1,\dots ,v_N)\in W$. Therefore there is one $a\in A$ such thatEquality on the basis gives $b=a$, proving the theorem over either scalar field.

The identity hypothesis is necessary. For a possibly nonunital adjoint-stable subalgebra, adjoining the ambient identity does not change its commutant of an operator algebra, so the exact statement is $A^{\prime \prime }=A+\mathbb{F}I$. For example $A=\{0\}$ has $A^{\prime \prime }=\mathbb{F}I$ on a nonzero $V$. Thus the usual exam formulation takes the algebra to contain the identity.