On the shape of numerical range of matrix polynomials (Q5955651)

For a matrix polynomial \(P(\lambda)= A_m\lambda^m +A_{m-1} \lambda^{m-1} +\cdots+A_1 \lambda+A_0\), where \(A_j\)'s are \(n\)-by-\(n\) complex matrices, its numerical range \(W(P)\) is, by definition, the set \(\{\lambda \in\mathbb{C}: x^*P(\lambda) x=0\) for some nonzero \(x\) in \(\mathbb{C}^n\}\). If \(P(\lambda)=\lambda I-A\), then \(W(P)\) coincides with the classical numerical range \(F(A)\) of \(A\). In this paper, the authors set out to investigate properties of the boundary and geometry of \(W(P)\). For example, they show that under certain conditions the local dimension \((=1\) or 2) of a point \(\lambda_0\) in \(W(P)\) is equal to that of the origin in \(F(P(\lambda_0))\). For a linear pencil \(\lambda A-B\), it is shown that (1) if \(W(\lambda A-B)\) is bounded, then it is simply connected, and (2) \(W(\lambda A-B)\) has no interior point if and only if \(A=aH_1 +bH_2\) and \(B=cH_1+dH_2\) for some linearly independent Hermitian \(H_1\) and \(H_2\) with \(0\notin F(H_1+iH_2)\) and some scalars \(a,b,c\) and \(d\). For a diagonal linear pencil, the boundary of its numerical range coincides with a finite union of line segments and circular arcs. Finally, they show that if the numerical range of a 2-by-2 matrix polynomial of degree \(m\) is not the whole plane, then its boundary lies on an algebraic curve of degree at most \(4m\).