On the $KK$-theory of strongly self-absorbing $C^{*}$-algebras

Abstract

Let $\mathcal D$ and $A$ be unital and separable $C^{*}$-algebras; let $\mathcal D$ be strongly self-absorbing. It is known that any two unital ${}^*$-homomorphisms from $\mathcal D$ to $A \otimes \mathcal D$ are approximately unitarily equivalent. We show that, if $\mathcal D$ is also $K_{1}$-injective, they are even asymptotically unitarily equivalent. This in particular implies that any unital endomorphism of $\mathcal D$ is asymptotically inner. Moreover, the space of automorphisms of $\mathcal D$ is compactly-contractible (in the point-norm topology) in the sense that for any compact Hausdorff space $X$, the set of homotopy classes $[X,(\mathrm{Aut}(\mathcal D)]$ reduces to a point. The respective statement holds for the space of unital endomorphisms of $\mathcal D$. As an application, we give a description of the Kasparov group $KK(\mathcal D, A\otimes \mathcal D)$ in terms of $^*$-homomorphisms and asymptotic unitary equivalence. Along the way, we show that the Kasparov group $KK(\mathcal D, A\otimes \mathcal D)$ is isomorphic to $K_0(A\otimes \mathcal D)$.