On decomposition of operators having $\Gamma_3$ as a spectral set

The symmetrized polydisc of dimension three is the set $$\Gamma_3 =\{ (z_1+z_2+z_3, z_1z_2+z_2z_3+z_3z_1, z_1z_2z_3)\,:\, |z_i|\leq 1 \,,\, i=1,2,3 \} \subseteq \mathbb C^3\,.$$ A triple of commuting operators for which $\Gamma_3$ is a spectral set is called a $\Gamma_3$-contraction. We show that every $\Gamma_3$-contraction admits a decomposition into a $\Gamma_3$-unitary and a completely non-unitary $\Gamma_3$-contraction. This decomposition parallels the canonical decomposition of a contraction into a unitary and a completely non-unitary contraction. We also find new characterizations for the set $\Gamma_3$ and $\Gamma_3$-contractions.