Optimal dual frames and frame completions for majorization (Q1940123)

This article studies two optimality problems in frame theory in terms of (sub)majorization. Given a finite sequence of vectors \({\mathcal F}_0 \subseteq {\mathcal H} \cong C^d\) and a finite sequence of positive numbers \(\mathbf{b}\), the authors are interested in computing optimal frame completions of \({\mathcal F}_0\) obtained by adding vectors with norms prescribed by the entries of \(\mathbf{b}\). In this context they show the existence of minimizers of majorization in the set of frame completions of \({\mathcal F}_0\) with prescribed norms, under certain hypothesis on \(\mathbf{b}\). They also compute the spectral and geometrical structure of these optimal completions. In particular, they solve the frame completion problem recently posed by \textit{M. Fickus, D. G. Mixon} and \textit{M. J. Poteet} [``Frame completions for optimally robust reconstruction'', preprint, \url{arXiv:1107.1912}]. On the other hand, given a fixed frame \({\mathcal F}\) for a finite-dimensional Hilbert space \({\mathcal H} \cong C^d\), let \({\mathcal D(F)}\), denote the set of all frames \({\mathcal G}\) that are in duality with \({\mathcal F}\). It is well known that the canonical dual of \({\mathcal F}\) has some optimality properties among the elements in \({\mathcal D(F)}\). Nevertheless, although optimal in some senses, there might be alternate duals that are more suitable for applications. In order to search for optimal alternative duals for \({\mathcal F}\), the article focuses on the set \({\mathcal D}_t{\mathcal (F)}\) of frames \({\mathcal G}\) that are in duality with \({\mathcal F}\) and such that the Frobenius norm of their frame operators is bounded from below by a constant \(t\). The authors show the existence of minimizers of submajorization in \({\mathcal D}_t{\mathcal (F)}\) and describe explicitly their spectral and geometrical structure. Both problems are related with the minimizers of (sub)majorization in certain sets of positive semidefinite matrices that arise naturally. The authors show that these sets have minimal elements with respect to (sub)majorization, a fact that is of independent interest. Notably, the existence of such minimizers is essentially obtained with insights coming from frame theory.