Quasi-equivalent representations
Two unitary representations (cf. Unitary representation)  $  \pi _ {1} , \pi _ {2} $
of a group  $  X $(
or symmetric representations of a symmetric algebra  $  X $) 
in Hilbert spaces  $  H _ {1} $
and  $  H _ {2} $, 
respectively, satisfying one of the following four equivalent conditions: 1) there exist unitarily-equivalent representations  $  \rho _ {1} $
and  $  \rho _ {2} $
such that  $  \rho _ {1} $
is a multiple of  $  \pi _ {1} $
and  $  \rho _ {2} $
is a multiple of  $  \pi _ {2} $; 
2) the non-zero subrepresentations of  $  \pi _ {1} $
are not disjoint from  $  \pi _ {2} $, 
and the non-zero subrepresentations of  $  \pi _ {2} $
are not disjoint from  $  \pi _ {1} $; 
3)  $  \pi _ {2} $
is unitarily equivalent to a subrepresentation of some multiple representation  $  \rho _ {1} $
of  $  \pi _ {1} $
that has unit central support; or 4) there exists an isomorphism  $  \Phi $
of the von Neumann algebra generated by the set  $  \pi _ {1} ( X) $
onto the von Neumann algebra generated by the set  $  \pi _ {2} ( X) $
such that  $  \Phi ( \pi _ {1} ( x) ) = \pi _ {2} ( x) $
for all  $  x \in X $. 
Unitarily-equivalent representations are quasi-equivalent representations; irreducible quasi-equivalent representations (cf. Irreducible representation) are unitarily equivalent. If  $  \pi _ {1} $
and  $  \pi _ {2} $
are quasi-equivalent representations and  $  \pi _ {1} $
is a factor representation, then so is  $  \pi _ {2} $; 
a factor representation and a non-zero subrepresentation of it are quasi-equivalent representations; two factor representations are either disjoint or quasi-equivalent. The notion of quasi-equivalent representations leads to that of a quasi-dual object and a quasi-spectrum for locally compact groups and symmetric algebras, respectively.
References
| [1] |   J. Dixmier,   "  algebras" , North-Holland  (1977)  (Translated from French) | 
Comments
Two representations $ \pi $ and $ \pi ^ \prime $( of a group or algebra) with representation spaces $ H $ and $ H ^ \prime $, respectively, are said to be disjoint is there is no non-zero intertwining operator between $ \pi $ and $ \pi ^ \prime $. Here, an intertwining operator between $ \pi $ and $ \pi ^ \prime $ is a continuous linear operator $ T : H \rightarrow H ^ \prime $ such that $ T \pi ( x) = \pi ^ \prime T ( x) $ for all $ x $.
Quasi-equivalent representations. Encyclopedia of Mathematics. URL: http://encyclopediaofmath.org/index.php?title=Quasi-equivalent_representations&oldid=48381
 algebras" , North-Holland  (1977)  (Translated from French)