Linear preserver problems: A brief introduction and some special techniques (Q1183188)

Let \(M\) be any one of the following matrix spaces: the set of all \(m\times n\) matrices over the field \(\mathbb{F}\), where usually \(\mathbb{F}\) is \(\mathbb{R}\) or \(\mathbb{C}\); the set of all \(n\times n\) symmetric matrices over \(\mathbb{F}\); the set of all \(n\times n\) skew-symmetric matrices over \(\mathbb{F}\); the set of all Hermitian matrices. The typical linear preserving problems are: 1. let \(F\) be a (scalar-valued, vector-valued, or set-valued) function on \(M\). Characterize those linear operators \(\varphi\) on \(M\) that satisfy \(F(\varphi(A))=F(A)\) for all \(A\in M\); 2. let \(S\subset M\). Characterize those linear operators \(\varphi\) on \(M\) that satisfy \(\varphi(S)=S\) or \(\subset S\); 3. let \(\sim\) be a relation or an equivalence relation on \(M\). Characterize those linear operators \(\varphi\) on \(M\) that satisfy \(\varphi(A)\sim\varphi(B)\) whenever \(A\sim B\) (or iff \(A\sim B)\); 4. given a transform \(F:M\to M\), characterize those linear operators \(\varphi\) on \(M\) that satisfy \(F(\varphi(A))=\varphi(F(A))\) for all \(A\in M\). This paper is a survey which gives a gentle introduction to these problems.