The structure of $k$-potents and mixed Jordan-power preservers on matrix algebras

Abstract

Let $M_n(\mathbb{F})$ denote the algebra of $n \times n$ matrices over an algebraically closed field $\mathbb{F}$ of characteristic different from $2$. For $n \ge 2$, we classify all maps $\phi : M_n(\mathbb{F}) \to M_n(\mathbb{F})$ satisfying the mixed Jordan-power identity $$ \phi(A^{k} \circ B) = \phi(A)^{k} \circ \phi(B), \quad \text{for all } A,B \in M_n(\mathbb{F}), $$ where $\circ$ denotes the (normalized) Jordan product $A \circ B := \tfrac{1}{2}(AB + BA)$ and $k \in \mathbb{N}$. We show that every such map is either constant, taking a fixed $(k+1)$-potent value, or there exist an invertible matrix $T \in M_n(\mathbb{F})$, a ring monomorphism $\omega : \mathbb{F} \to \mathbb{F}$, and a $k$-th root of unity $\varepsilon \in \mathbb{F}$ such that $\phi$ takes one of the forms $$ \phi(X) = \varepsilon\, T\, \omega(X)\, T^{-1} \quad \text{ or } \quad \phi(X) = \varepsilon\, T\, \omega(X)^{t}\, T^{-1}, $$ where $\omega(X)$ denotes the matrix obtained by applying $\omega$ entrywise to $X$, and $(\cdot)^{t}$ denotes matrix transposition. In particular, every nonconstant solution is necessarily additive. The classification relies fundamentally on the preservation of $(k+1)$-potents and their intrinsic structural properties.