Weak Multiplier Hopf Algebras II. The source and target algebras

Abstract: In this paper, we continue the study of weak multiplier Hopf algebras. We recall the notions of the source and target maps $\varepsilon_s$ and $\varepsilon_t$, as well as of the source and target algebras. Then we investigate these objects further. Among other things, we show that the canonical idempotent $E$ (which is eventually $\Delta(1)$) belongs to the multiplier algebra $M(B\otimes C)$ where $B=\varepsilon_s(A)$ and $C=\varepsilon_t(A)$ and that it is a separability idempotent. We also consider special cases and examples in this paper. In particular, we see how for any weak multiplier Hopf algebra, it is possible to make $C\otimes B$ (with $B$ and $C$ as above) into a new weak multiplier Hopf algebra. In a sense, it forgets the 'Hopf algebra part' of the original weak multiplier Hopf algebra and only remembers the source and target algebras. It is in turn generalized to the case of any pair of non-degenerate algebras $B$ and $C$ with a separability idempotent $E\in M(B\otimes C)$. We get another example using this theory associated to any discrete quantum group (a multiplier Hopf algebra of discrete type with a normalized cointegral). Finally we also consider the well-known 'quantization' of the groupoid that comes from an action of a group on a set. All these constructions provide interesting new examples of weak multiplier Hopf algebras (that are not weak Hopf algebras).