The analytic model of a subnormal operator (Q1103167)

For a pure subnormal operator \(S\) with minimal normal extension \(N\) let \(M\) denote the closure of the range of the self-commutator \(S^*S-SS^*\). The mosaic \(\mu\) of \(S\) is a function on the resolvent set of \(N\) with values which are projections in \(M\) defined by \[ \mu (z):=\int (u-z)^{-1}(uI- \Lambda)e(du)\text{ for }z\in \rho(N); \] here \(\Lambda\) is the adjoint of the compression of \(S^*\) to \(M\) and \(e\) is the compression of the spectral measure of \(N\) to \(M\). The points \(z\in \rho(S)\) are characterized by the vanishing of \(\mu(z)\), and more generally multiplicity results on \(\sigma(S)\setminus \sigma(N)\) can be obtained from \(\mu\). Among the subnormal operators, for which the spectra of the minimal normal extensions all coincide and have no interior, the mosaic is a completely unitary invariant. The main tool for the proofs is an analytic model of subnormal operators. Finally a description of all subnormal operators with rank two self-commutator is given.