Linear operators preserving idempotence on matrix spaces over skew-fields (Q1373804)

Let \(R\), \(R_1\) be skew fields with respective centres \(F\), \(F_1\), where \(F\subseteq F_1\) and \(|F|>2\). Let \(M_n(R)\) denote the \(F\)-space of all \(n\times n\) matrices over \(R\), \(I_n(R)\) the subset of all idempotent matrices. Assuming that \(n\geq 3\), the authors determine the form of the \(F\)-linear mappings \(L: M_n(R)\to M_n(R_1)\) such that \(L(I_n(R))\subseteq I_n(R_1)\). Besides the expected ring homomorphisms and anti-homomorphisms, some less obvious mappings are involved: these send \(X\in M_n(R)\) to \(f (\text{tr }X)\) where \(f: R\to M_n(R_1)\) is \(F\)-linear and maps all commutators \(ab- ba\) to \(0\).