Characterizations of amenability for noncommutative dynamical systems and Fell bundles

Abstract: We prove that for a locally compact group $G$, a $C^*$-dynamical system $(A,G,\alpha)$ is amenable in the sense of Anantharaman-Delaroche if and only if, for every other system $(B,G,\beta)$, the diagonal system $(A \otimes_{\max} B, G, \alpha \otimes^d_{\max} \beta)$ has the weak containment property (wcp). For Fell bundles over $G$, we construct a diagonal tensor product $\otimes^d_{\max}$ and show that a Fell bundle $\mathcal{A}$ has the positive approximation property of Exel and Ng (AP) precisely when $\mathcal{A} \otimes^d_{\max} \mathcal{B}$ has the wcp for every Fell bundle $\mathcal{B}$ over $G$. Equivalently, $\mathcal{A}$ has the AP if and only if the natural action of $G$ on the $C^*$-algebra of kernels of $\mathcal{A}$ is amenable. We show that the approximation properties introduced by Abadie and by B\'edos-Conti are equivalent to the AP. We also study the permanence of the wcp, the AP, and the nuclearity of cross-sectional $C^*$-algebras under restrictions, quotients, and other constructions. Our results extend and unify previous characterizations of amenability for $C^*$-dynamical systems and Fell bundles, and provide new tools to analyze structural properties of associated $C^*$-algebras.