Minimal and maximal matrix convex sets (Q1709723)

A \textit{matrix convex set} in \(d\)-variables is a set \(\mathcal{S}=\bigcup\mathcal{S}_n\), where each \(\mathcal{S}_n\) consists of \(d\)-tuples of \(n\times n\) matrices such that \(\mathcal{S}\) is closed under direct summation, unitary conjugation, and the application of completely positive maps. The set \(\mathcal{S}_1\) is called the ground level for \(\mathcal{S}\). One fundamental question is how the ground level \(\mathcal{S}_1\) determines the structure and the size of \(\mathcal{S}\). The present paper is devoted to the study of this question and its applications. For any convex body \(K\) in \(\mathbb{R}^d\), there exist a minimal convex set \(\mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{min}}(K)\) and a maximal convex set \(\mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{max}}(K)\) which have \(K\) as their ground level, that is, \[ \mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{min}}_1(K) = K = \mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{max}}_1(K). \] Researchers have been interested in finding the optimal constant \(C_K\) for which \[ \mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{max}}(K) \subseteq C_K\cdot\mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{min}}(K). \] It has been known that, if \(K\) is the closed Euclidean unit ball (in \(\mathbb{R}^d\) with \(\ell^2\)-norm), then \(C_K=d\) is optimal. As one of their results, the authors determine the best constant for \(K\) being the unit ball in \(\mathbb{R}^d\) with the \(\ell^{p}\)-norm. They also consider the problem of finding conditions on two convex bodies \(K\) and \(L\) that guarantee \(\mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{max}}(K)\subseteq\mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{min}}(L)\). As a consequence, they show that \(\mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{min}}(K) = \mathcal{W}^{\mathrm{max}}(K)\) if and only if \(K\) is a simplex. Interesting applications to dilation theory, convex geometry, operator systems, and completely positive maps are presented.