Linear combinations of hyponormal operators (Q1122759)

It is well known that if every operator in the linear span of two normal operators \(N_ 1\) and \(N_ 2\) is normal, then \(N_ 1\) and \(N_ 2\) commute. In this paper, the authors consider this question for hyponormal operators. They give an example of two noncommuting hyponormal operators such that their span consists entirely of hyponormal operators. In the reverse direction, it is shown that if the hyponormal operators A and B satisfy \(A^*B=B^*A\), then their linear span consists of hyponormal operators and moreover AB and BA are hyponormal. If one of the operators is normal and the other is hyponormal (subnormal), then their span consists of hyponormal (resp., subnormal) operators if and only if they commute. Finally, the authors consider another related problem, namely the converse of Fuglede's theorem in this context, and show that in some cases it is true.