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The Relative Weak Asymptotic Homomorphism Property for Inclusions of Finite von Neumann Algebras

A triple of finite von Neumann algebras $B\subseteq N\subseteq M$ is said to have the relative weak asymptotic homomorphism property if there exists a net of unitary operators $\{u_λ\}_{λ\in Λ}$ in $B$ such that $$\lim_λ|\mathbb{E}}_B(xu_λy)-{\mathbb{E}}_B({\mathbb{E}}_N(x)u_λ{\mathbb{E}}_N(y))\|_2=0$$ for all $x,y\in M$. We prove that a triple of finite von Neumann algebras $B\subseteq N\subseteq M$ has the relative weak asymptotic homomorphism property if and only if $N$ contains the set of all $x\in M$ such that $Bx\subseteq \sum_{i=1}^n x_iB$ for a finite number of elements $x_1,...,x_n$ in $M$. Such an $x$ is called a one sided quasi-normalizer of $B$, and the von Neumann algebra generated by all one sided quasi-normalizers of $B$ is called the one sided quasi-normalizer algebra of $B$. We characterize one sided quasi-normalizer algebras for inclusions of group von Neumann algebras and use this to show that one sided quasi-normalizer algebras and quasi-normalizer algebras are not equal in general. We also give some applications to inclusions $L(H)\subseteq L(G)$ arising from containments of groups. For example, when $L(H)$ is a masa we determine the unitary normalizer algebra as the von Neumann algebra generated by the normalizers of $H$ in $G$.