Related papers: Connes' embedding conjecture and sums of hermitian…
We prove a non-commutative version of the Hilbert's 17th problem, giving a characterization of the class of non-commutative polynomials in n-undeterminates that have positive trace when evaluated in n-selfadjoint elements in arbitrary II1…
We show that Connes' embedding conjecture (CEC) is equivalent to a real version of the same (RCEC). Moreover, we show that RCEC is equivalent to a real, purely algebraic statement concerning trace positive polynomials. This purely algebraic…
A noncommutative (nc) polynomial is called (globally) trace-positive if its evaluation at any tuple of operators in a tracial von Neumann algebra has nonnegative trace. Such polynomials emerge as trace inequalities in several matrix or…
For matrices with all nonnegative entries, the Perron-Frobenius theorem guarantees the existence of an eigenvector with all nonnegative components. We show that the existence of such an eigenvector is also guaranteed for a very different…
Recently Lieb and Seiringer showed that the Bessis-Moussa-Villani conjecture from quantum physics can be restated in the following purely algebraic way: The sum of all words in two positive semidefinite matrices where the number of each of…
Positivstellensatz is a fundamental result in real algebraic geometry providing algebraic certificates for positivity of polynomials on semialgebraic sets. In this article Positivstellens\"atze for trace polynomials positive on…
We show that Connes' embedding problem for II_1-factors is equivalent to a statement about distributions of sums of self-adjoint operators with matrix coefficients. This is an application of a linearization result for finite von Neumann…
In this paper we prove a version of Connes' trace theorem for noncommutative tori of any dimension~$n\geq 2$. This allows us to recover and improve earlier versions of this result in dimension $n=2$ and $n=4$ by Fathizadeh-Khalkhali. We…
We define the notion of self-tracial stability for tracial von Neumann algebras and show that a tracial von Neumann algebra satisfying the Connes Embedding Problem is self-tracially stable if and only if it is amenable. We then generalize a…
A long-standing conjecture asserts that the polynomial \[p(t) = \text{Tr}[(A+tB)^m]\] has nonnegative coefficients whenever $m$ is a positive integer and $A$ and $B$ are any two $n \times n$ positive semidefinite Hermitian matrices. The…
We show that Tsirelson's problem concerning the set of quantum correlations and Connes' embedding problem on finite approximations in von Neumann algebras (known to be equivalent to Kirchberg's QWEP conjecture) are essentially equivalent.…
This is an expanded lecture note for "Masterclass on sofic groups and applications to operator algebras" (University of Copenhagen, 5-9 November 2012). It is about algebraic aspects of the Connes Embedding Conjecture. It contains new proofs…
We completely characterize sections of the cones of nonnegative polynomials, convex polynomials and sums of squares with polynomials supported on circuits, a genuine class of sparse polynomials. In particular, nonnegativity is characterized…
We develop a new kind of nonnegativity certificate for univariate polynomials on an interval. In many applications, nonnegative Bernstein coefficients are often used as a simple way of certifying polynomial nonnegativity. Our proposed…
In this article, we combine sums of squares (SOS) and sums of nonnegative circuit (SONC) forms, two independent nonnegativity certificates for real homogeneous polynomials. We consider the convex cone SOS+SONC of forms that decompose into a…
We provide a coherent picture of our efforts thus far in extending real algebra and its links to the theory of quadratic forms over ordered fields in the noncommutative direction, using hermitian forms and "ordered" algebras with…
Recently, the second and the third author developed sums of nonnegative circuit polynomials (SONC) as a new certificate of nonnegativity for real polynomials, which is independent of sums of squares. In this article we show that the SONC…
This paper introduces and develops the algebraic framework of moment polynomials, which are polynomial expressions in commuting variables and their formal mixed moments. Their positivity and optimization over probability measures supported…
Let $S \subseteq \mathbb{R}^n$ be a compact semialgebraic set and let $f$ be a polynomial nonnegative on $S$. Schm\"udgen's Positivstellensatz then states that for any $\eta > 0$, the nonnegativity of $f + \eta$ on $S$ can be certified by…
We prove that every positive trace on a countably generated *-algebra can be approximated by positive traces on algebras of generic matrices. This implies that every countably generated tracial *-algebra can be embedded into a metric…