On the similarity problem for polynomially bounded operators on Hilbert space (Q1094649)

If an operator T on a Hilbert space is similar to a contraction \((STS^{-1}\) is contraction), then it is polynomially bounded: \(\| p(T)\| \leq M\| p\|_{\infty}\) for every polynomial p. The author gives partial answers to the converse question. These make use of necessary and sufficient conditions due to Paulsen. One result proves that an operator which appears in the theory of Hankel operators, previously known to be polynomially bounded, is similar to a contraction. The main result shows that, in a space of dimension n, a polynomially bounded operator is similar to a contraction and \(\| S\| \| S^{-1}\| \leq M^ 4 \log n\).