Additive mappings between Hermitian matrix spaces preserving rank not exceeding one (Q2568375): Difference between revisions

Using the nonsurjective version of the Fundamental theorem of Projective Geometry, the author treats in detail one of the basic preserver problems on a space of Hermitian matrices \(H_m({\mathbb F}):=\{A\in M_m({\mathbb F});\;\;A^\ast=A\}\). Here, \(A^\ast:=\bar{A}^t\) is obtained from \(A\), by applying a nontrivial involution \(\bar{ }:{\mathbb F}\to{\mathbb F}\) entrywise, and conjugation. Specifically, the following is proved: Let \(T:H_m(\mathbb F)\to H_n(\mathbb F)\) be an additive mapping (possibly, \(m\not=n\)) over the field \(\mathbb F\), and such that rank\(\, A\leq 1\Longrightarrow\) rank\(\, T(A)\leq 1\). If char\(\,\mathbb{F}\not\in\{2,3\}\) and if Im\(\,T\) contains a matrix with rank\(\geq 3\) then \[ T(A)=\lambda QA^\sigma Q^\ast, \] where \(A^\sigma\) is a matrix, obtained from \(A\) by applying a field homomorphism \(\sigma:{\mathbb F}\to {\mathbb F}\) entrywise, \(\lambda\in F\), \(Q\in M_{n\times m}(\mathbb F)\). As expected, \(\sigma\) and \(\bar{\;}\) must commute. It is also shown that the assumption of Im\(\,T\) containing a matrix with rank\(\geq 3\) can be removed whenever the field contains no proper isomorphic subfields; an extra singular mapping then appears. Moreover, a similar result on infinite-dimensional Hilbert space is also stated. A related problem on symmetric matrices (i.e., when \(\bar{\;}:{\mathbb F}\to{\mathbb F}\) is identity) was treated earlier by the same author [Linear Algebra Appl. 402, 263--271 (2005; Zbl 1084.15008)].