arXiv subjects

Heydar Radjavi

Publications and source records attributed to Heydar Radjavi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Fully non-zero matrices and generators of full algebras of operators

In a wide variety of fields, every non-scalar matrix $M$ is similar to a matrix all of whose entries are non-zero. We give extensions of this result, including some in the division ring context. We then apply these results to the question of which pairs of operators generate the algebra of all operators on finite- and infinite-dimensional spaces. In the case of complex, separable infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, this is intimately related to the unsolved Invariant Subspace Problem. Finally, linear independence of subsets of arbitrary TVS's and generators of arbitrary TA's are shown to be stable in the sense of the theorems presented.

math.RA↗

arXiv2025

On products of symmetries acting on Hilbert spaces

Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a complex, separable Hilbert space (of finite or infinite dimension), and let $\mathcal{U}(\mathcal{H})$ denote the group of unitary operators on $\mathcal{H}$. A symmetry is, by definition, a unitary operator $J$ with $J^2 =I$. Denote by $\text{Sym}_k(\mathcal{H})$ the subset of $\mathcal{U}(\mathcal{H})$ consisting of those operators expressible as a product of $k$ symmetries. It is known that $\mathcal{U}(\mathcal{H}) = \text{Sym}_4(\mathcal{H})$ if $\dim \, \mathcal{H} = \infty$, while the only additional condition in finite dimensions is that the determinant be $\pm 1$. Of all the sets $\text{Sym}_k(\mathcal{H})$ with $k \in \{ 1, 2, 3, 4\}$, the case $k =3$ has been the most stubborn to characterise. Among other things, we investigate which elements of $\text{Sym}_3(\mathcal{H})$ possess exactly two eigenvalues in the setting where $\mathcal{H}$ is finite-dimensional. We also consider the problem: when is the unitary orbit of an operator $T$, i.e., the set \[ \{ U^* T U : U \in \mathcal{U}(\mathcal{H}) \} \] the same as its $\text{Sym}_k$-orbit, i.e., the set \[ \{ U^* T U: U \in \text{Sym}_k(\mathcal{H})\} ? \] Clearly, the cases of interest are when $k \le 3$.

math.FA↗

arXiv2024

Invariant embeddings and ergodic obstructions

We consider the following question: Let $\mathcal{A}$ be an abelian self-adjoint algebra of bounded operators on a Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}$. Assume that $\mathcal{A}$ is invariant under conjugation by a unitary operator $U$, i.e., $U^* AU$ is in $\mathcal{A}$ for every member $A$ of $\mathcal{A}$. Is there a maximal abelian self-adjoint algebra containing $\mathcal{A}$, which is still invariant under conjugation by $U$? The answer, which is easily seen to be yes in finite dimensions, is not trivial in general. We prove affirmative answers in special cases including the one where $\mathcal{A}$ is generated by a compact operator. We also construct a counterexample in the general case, whose existence is perhaps surprising.

math.FA↗

arXiv2024

On commutators of square-zero Hilbert space operators

Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a complex, separable Hilbert space, and set $\mathfrak{c}($NIL$_2)=\{ MN - NM : N, M \in \mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H}), M^2 = 0 = N^2 \}$. When $\dim\, \mathcal{H}$ is finite, we characterise the set $\mathfrak{c}($NIL$_2)$ and its norm-closure CLOS$(\mathfrak{c}($NIL$_2))$. In the infinite-dimensional setting, we characterise the intersection of CLOS$(\mathfrak{c}($NIL$_2))$ with the set of biquasitriangular operators, and we exhibit an index obstruction to belonging to CLOS$(\mathfrak{c}($NIL$_2))$.

math.FA↗

arXiv2024

Invariant embeddings and weighted permutations

We prove that for any fixed unitary matrix $U$, any abelian self-adjoint algebra of matrices that is invariant under conjugation by $U$ can be embedded into a maximal abelian self-adjoint algebra that is still invariant under conjugation by $U$. We use this result to analyse the structure of matrices $A$ for which $A^*A$ commutes with $AA^*$, and to characterize matrices that are unitarily equivalent to weighted permutations.

math.RA↗

arXiv2023

On approximate and actual reducibility of matrix groups

We introduce the notions of $\varepsilon$-approximate fixed point and weak $\varepsilon$-approximate fixed point. We show that for a group of unitary matrices even the existence of a nontrivial weak $\varepsilon$-approximate fixed point for sufficiently small $\varepsilon$ gives an actual nontrivial common eigenvector. We give estimates for $\varepsilon$ in terms of the size $n$ of matrices and prove that the dependence is polynomial. Moreover, we show that the common eigenvector is polynomially close to the starting weak approximate fixed point.

math.GR↗

arXiv2023

On approximate commutativity of spaces of matrices

The maximal dimension of commutative subspaces of $M_n(\mathbb{C})$ is known. So is the structure of such a subspace when the maximal dimension is achieved. We consider extensions of these results and ask the following natural questions: If $V$ is a subspace of $M_n(\mathbb{C})$ and $k$ is an integer less than $n$, such that for every pair $A$ and $B$ of members of $V$, the rank of the commutator $AB - BA$ is at most $k$, then how large can the dimension of $V$ be? If this maximum is achieved, can we determine the structure of $V$? We answer the first question. We also propose a conjecture on the second question which implies, in particular, that such a subspace $V$ has to be an algebra, just as in the known case of $k = 0$. We prove the proposed structure of $V$ if it is already assumed to be an algebra.

math.RA↗

arXiv2023

Stability relations for Hilbert space operators and a problem of Kaplansky

In his monograph on Infinite Abelian Groups, I. Kaplansky raised three ``test problems" concerning their structure and multiplicity. As noted by Azoff, these problems make sense for any category admitting a direct sum operation. Here, we are interested in the operator theoretic version of Kaplansky's second problem which asks: if $A$ and $B$ are operators on an infinite-dimensional, separable Hilbert space and $A \oplus A$ is equivalent to $B \oplus B$ in some (precise) sense, is $A$ equivalent to $B$? We examine this problem under a strengthening of the hypothesis, where a ``primitive" square root $J_2(A)$ of $A\oplus A$ is assumed to be equivalent to the corresponding square root $J_2(B)$ of $B \oplus B$. When ``equivalence" refers to similarity of operators and $A$ is a compact operator, we deduce from this stronger hypothesis that $A$ and $B$ are similar. We exhibit a counterexample (due to J. Bell) of this phenomenon in the setting of unital rings. Also, we exhibit an uncountable family $\{ U_α\}_{α\in Ω}$ of unitary operators, no two of which are unitarily equivalent, such that each $U_α$ is unitarily equivalent to $J_n(U_α)$, a ``primitive" $n^{th}$ root of $U_α\oplus U_α\oplus \cdots \oplus U_α$.

math.FA↗

arXiv2022

Around the closures of the set of commutators and the set of differences of idempotent elements of $\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$

We describe the norm-closures of the set $\mathfrak{C}_{\mathfrak{E}}$ of commutators of idempotent operators and the set $\mathfrak{E} - \mathfrak{E}$ of differences of idempotent operators acting on a finite-dimensional complex Hilbert space, as well as characterising the intersection of the closures of these sets with the set $\mathcal{K}(\mathcal{H})$ of compact operators acting on an infinite-dimensional, separable Hilbert space. Finally, we characterise the closures of the set $\mathfrak{C}_{\mathfrak{P}}$ of commutators of orthogonal projections and the set $\mathfrak{P} - \mathfrak{P}$ of differences of orthogonal projections acting on an arbitrary complex Hilbert space.

math.FA↗

arXiv2021

Matrix Algebras with a Certain Compression Property I

An algebra $\mathcal{A}$ of $n\times n$ complex matrices is said to be \textit{idempotent compressible} if $E\mathcal{A}E$ is an algebra for all idempotents $E\in\mathbb{M}_n(\mathbb{C})$. Analogously, $\mathcal{A}$ is said to be \textit{projection compressible} if $P\mathcal{A}P$ is an algebra for all orthogonal projections $P$ in $\mathbb{M}_n(\mathbb{C})$. In this paper we construct several examples of unital algebras that admit these properties. In addition, a complete classification of the unital idempotent compressible subalgebras of $\mathbb{M}_3(\mathbb{C})$ is obtained up to similarity and transposition. It is shown that in this setting, the two notions of compressibility agree: a unital subalgebra of $\mathbb{M}_3(\mathbb{C})$ is projection compressible if and only if it is idempotent compressible. Our findings are extended to algebras of arbitrary size in the sequel to this paper.

math.RA↗

arXiv2019

Normal operators with highly incompatible off-diagonal corners

Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a complex, separable Hilbert space, and $\mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$ denote the set of all bounded linear operators on $\mathcal{H}$. Given an orthogonal projection $P \in \mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$ and an operator $D \in \mathcal{B}(\mathcal{H})$, we may write $D=\begin{bmatrix} D_1& D_2 D_3 & D_4 \end{bmatrix}$ relative to the decomposition $\mathcal{H} = \mathrm{ran}\, P \oplus \mathrm{ran}\, (I-P)$. In this paper we study the question: for which non-negative integers $j, k$ can we find a normal operator $D$ and an orthogonal projection $P$ such that $\mathrm{rank}\, D_2 = j$ and $\mathrm{rank}\, D_3 = k$? Complete results are obtained in the case where $\mathrm{dim}\, \mathcal{H} < \infty$, and partial results are obtained in the infinite-dimensional setting.

math.FA↗

arXiv2018

Burnside's theorem in the setting of general fields

We extend a well-known theorem of Burnside in the setting of general fields as follows: for a general field $F$ the matrix algebra $M_n(F)$ is the only algebra in $M_n(F)$ which is spanned by an irreducible semigroup of triangularizable matrices. In other words, for a semigroup of triangularizable matrices with entries from a general field irreducibility is equivalent to absolute irreducibility. As a consequence of our result we prove a stronger version of a theorem of Janez Bernik.

math.RA↗

arXiv2016

Matrix semigroups whose ring commutators have real spectra are realizable

We study matrix semigroups in which ring commutators have real spectra. We prove that irreducible semigroups with this property are simultaneously similar to semigroups of real-entried matrices. We also obtain a structure theorem for compact groups satisfying the property under investigation.

math.RT↗

arXiv2016

An extension of a theorem of Kaplansky

A theorem of Kaplansky asserts that a semigroup of matrices with entries from a field whose members all have singleton spectra is triangularizable. Indeed, Kaplansky's Theorem unifies well-known theorems of Kolchin and Levitzki on simultaneous triangularizability of semigroups of unipotent and nilpotent matrices, respectively. First, we present a new and simple proof of Kaplansky's Theorem over fields of characteristic zero. Next, we show that this proof can be adjusted to show that the counterpart of Kolchin's Theorem over division rings of characteristic zero implies that of Kaplansky's Theorem over such division rings. Also, we give a generalization of Kaplansky's Theorem over general fields. We show that this extension of Kaplansky's Theorem holds over a division ring $Δ$ provided the counterpart of Kaplansky's Theorem holds over $Δ$.

math.RA↗

arXiv2015

A theorem of Kaplansky revisited

We present a new and simple proof of a theorem due to Kaplansky which unifies theorems of Kolchin and Levitzki on triangularizability of semigroups of matrices. We also give two different extensions of the theorem. As a consequence, we prove the counterpart of Kolchin's Theorem for finite groups of unipotent matrices over division rings. We also show that the counterpart of Kolchin's Theorem over division rings of characteristic zero implies that of Kaplansky's Theorem over such division rings.

math.RA↗

arXiv2014

On selfadjoint extensions of semigroups of partial isometries

Let $\mathcal S$ be a semigroup of partial isometries acting on a complex, infinite-dimensional, separable Hilbert space. In this paper we seek criteria which will guarantee that the selfadjoint semigroup $\mathcal T$ generated by $\mathcal S$ consists of partial isometries as well. Amongst other things, we show that this is the case when the set of final projections of elements of $\mathcal S$ generates an abelian von Neumann algebra of uniform finite multiplicity.

math.OA↗

arXiv2013

Semigroups of Partial Isometries

We study self-adjoint semigroups of partial isometries on a Hilbert space. These semigroups coincide precisely with faithful representations of abstract inverse semigroups. Groups of unitary operators are specialized examples of self-adjoint semigroups of partial isometries. We obtain a general structure result showing that every self-adjoint semigroup of partial isometries consists of "generalized weighted composition" operators on a space of square-integrable Hilbert-space valued functions. If the semigroup is irreducible and contains a compact operator then the underlying measure space is purely atomic, so that the semigroup is represented as "zero-unitary" matrices. In this case it is not even required that the semigroup be self-adjoint.

math.FA↗

arXiv2013

Commutators of small rank and reducibility of operator semigroups

It is easy to see that if $\cG$ is a non-abelian group of unitary matrices, then for no members $A$ and $B$ of $\cG$ can the rank of $AB-BA$ be one. We examine the consequences of the assumption that this rank is at most two for a general semigroup $\cS$ of linear operators. Our conclusion is that under obviously necessary, but trivial, size conditions, $\cS$ is reducible. In the case of a unitary group satisfying the hypothesis, we show that it is contained in the direct sum $\cG_1\oplus\cG_2$ where $\cG_1$ is at most $3\times 3$ and $\cG_2$ is abelian.

math.FA↗