N ov 2 00 7 CATEGORICAL LANDSTAD DUALITY FOR ACTIONS

We show that the category A(G) of actions of a locally compact group G on C∗-algebras (with equivariant nondegenerate ∗-homomorphisms into multiplier algebras) is equivalent, via a full-crossed-product functor, to a comma category of maximal coactions of G under the comultiplication (C∗(G), δG); and also that A(G) is equivalent, via a reduced-crossed-product functor, to a comma category of normal coactions under the comultiplication. This extends classical Landstad duality to a category equivalence, and allows us to identify those C∗-algebras which are isomorphic to crossed products by G as precisely those which form part of an object in the appropriate comma category.