The kernels of powers of linear operator via Weyr characteristic

Abstract

The adjoint of a matrix in the Lie algebra associated with a matrix algebra is a fundamental operator, which can be generalized to a more general operator $\varphi_{AB}: X\rightarrow AX-XB$ by two matrices $A$ and $B$. The kernel of the operator is very well-known and it can be found in Gantmacher's book. The formulas for the dimensions of the kernels of arbitrary powers of the operator $\varphi_{AB}$ were given in terms of the Segre characteristics of these two matrices by the second and third authors in this paper and their collaborators. This paper provides an alternative approach to this problem via the Weyr characteristic in a more essential method. We obtain formulas for the dimensions of the kernels of arbitrary powers of the operator in terms of the Weyr characteristics. Furthermore, the basis for kernel of each power of the operator is described explicitly. As a consequence, for arbitrary square matrices $A$ and $B$ over an algebraically closed field, the dimension of the kernel of each power of the operator $\varphi_{A-\lambda I,B}$ for eigenvalues $\lambda$ of $\varphi_{AB}$ can be viewed as a similarity invariant of the operator $\varphi_{AB}$, so we characterise the operator within similarity, which should be of interest to a number of people (including physicists).