English

Moment of a subspace and joint numerical range

Functional Analysis 2021-10-22 v1

Abstract

For a given complex finite dimensional subspace SS of Cn\mathbb{C}^n and a fixed basis, we study the compact and convex subset of (R0)n\left(\mathbb{R}_{\geq 0}\right)^n that we call the moment of SS mS=m_S= convex hull ({s2R0n:sSs=1})\{|s|^2\in\mathbb{R}^n_{\geq 0}: s\in S \wedge \|s\|=1\} ) {Diag(Y)Mnh(C):Y0,tr(Y)=1,PSYPS=Y}\simeq \{ Diag(Y) \in M_n^h(\mathbb{C}):Y\geq 0, tr(Y)=1, P_S Y P_S=Y\} where s2=(s12,s22,,sn2)|s|^2=(|s_1|^2,|s_2|^2,\dots,|s_n|^2). This set is relevant in the determination of minimal hermitian matrices (MMnhM\in M^h_n such that M+DD\|M+D\|\leq D for every diagonal DD and \| \| the spectral norm). We describe extremal points and curves of mSm_S in terms of principal vectors that minimize the angle between SS and the coordinate axes. We also relate mSm_S to the joint numerical range WW of nn rank one n×nn\times n matrices constructed with the orthogonal projection PSP_S and the fixed basis used. This connection provides a new approach to the description of mSm_S and to minimal matrices. As a consequence the intersection of two of these joint numerical ranges allow the construction or detection of a minimal matrix, a fact that is easier to corroborate than the equivalent condition for moments. It is also proved that mSm_S is a semi-algebraic set equal to the intersection of the mentioned WW with a hyperplane and whose generated positive cone coincides with that of WW.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2110.10584,
  title  = {Moment of a subspace and joint numerical range},
  author = {Abel Klobouk and Alejandro Varela},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2110.10584},
  year   = {2021}
}