On spectral gaps of Markov maps (Q1670340)

A contractive linear map \(T\), on (a noncommutative) \(L_p\)-space whose fixed points are 1-complemented by some projection \(E\), has an \(L_p\)-spectral gap if \(\|T(1-E)\|<1\). The main result establishes that, if \(T\) is a unital completely positive trace preserving Markov map acting on a noncommutative probability space \(M\), then if \(T\) has an \(L_2\) spectral gap, it also has an \(L_p\)-spectral gap, where \(1 < p < \infty\). The converse of this result is only true if \(T\) is factorizable, in fact, it shows that, if \(T\) has an \(L_p\)-spectral gap and is factorizable, then it also has an \(L_2\) spectral gap. The article presents a brief survey of the notion of \(L_p\)-spectral gaps, with an emphasis on the reason why this result and the method of proof is important. It is worth pointing out that the authors do not provide a counterexample to establish that the result is only true for factorizable Markov maps.