On the long-time asymptotics of quantum dynamical semigroups

We consider semigroups ${alpha_t: ; tgeq 0}$ of normal, unital, completely positive maps $alpha_t$ on a von Neumann algebra ${mathcal M}$. The (predual) semigroup $ u_t (rho):= rho circ alpha_t$ on normal states $rho$ of $mathcal M$ leaves invariant the face ${mathcal F}_p:= {rho : ; rho (p)=1}$ supported by the projection $pin {mathcal M}$, if and only if $alpha_t(p)geq p$ (i.e., $p$ is sub-harmonic). We complete the arguments showing that the sub-harmonic projections form a complete lattice. We then consider $r_o$, the smallest projection which is larger than each support of a minimal invariant face; then $r_o$ is subharmonic. In finite dimensional cases $sup alpha_t(r_o)={bf 1}$ and $r_o$ is also the smallest projection $p$ for which $alpha_t(p)to {bf 1}$. If ${ u_t: ; tgeq 0}$ admits a faithful family of normal stationary states then $r_o={bf 1}$ is useless; if not, it helps to reduce the problem of the asymptotic behaviour of the semigroup for large times.