Invariant subspaces for operator semigroups with commutators of rank at most one (Q1028326)

The main result of the paper asserts that in a complex space of dimension \(\geq 2\), any non-commutative semigroup of operators \(\mathcal S\) such that the rank of \(ST-TS\) is at most 1 for each pair \(\{S,T\}\subset\mathcal S\) has a nontrivial invariant subspace. As a particular case, it is shown that, if \(\mathcal S\) consists of polynomially compact operators, then it is triangularizable. This generalizes results of several authors [see, for instance, \textit{H.\,Radjavi} and \textit{P.\,Rosenthal}, J.~Funct.\ Anal.\ 147, No.\,2, 443--456 (1997; Zbl 0902.47019)].