Inverse semigroup actions on groupoids

Abstract

We define inverse semigroup actions on topological groupoids by partial equivalences. From such actions, we construct saturated Fell bundles over inverse semigroups and non-Hausdorff \'etale groupoids. We interpret these as actions on $C^*$\nobreakdash -algebras by Hilbert bimodules and describe the section algebras of these Fell bundles. Our constructions give saturated Fell bundles over non-Hausdorff \'etale groupoids that model actions on locally Hausdorff spaces. We show that these Fell bundles are usually not Morita equivalent to an action by automorphisms, that is, the Packer-Raeburn stabilization trick does not generalize to non-Hausdorff groupoids.