On Kippenhahn curves and higher-rank numerical ranges of some matrices (Q1979377)

The \textit{rank-\(k\) numerical range} of an \(n\times n\)-matrix \(A\) is defined as \[ \Lambda_k(A):=\{\lambda\in\mathbb{C}: PAP=\lambda P \text{ for some rank-\(k\) orthogonal projection}\}. \] Note that the classical numerical range \[ W(A)=\{\langle Ax, x\rangle : x\in\mathbb{C}^n, \langle x,x\rangle=1\} \] coincides with \(\Lambda_1(A)\). It can be shown (see [\textit{C.-K. Li} and \textit{N.-S. Sze}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 136, No. 9, 3013--3023 (2008; Zbl 1152.15027)]) that \[ \Lambda_k(A)=\bigcap_{\theta\in[0,2\pi)}\{\mu\in\mathbb{C}: \mathrm{Re}(e^{\mathrm{i}\theta}\mu)\leq \lambda_k(\theta)\}, \] where \(\lambda_k(\theta)\) is the \(k\)-th largest eigenvalue (counting multiplicities) of the matrix \[ \mathrm{Re}(e^{\mathrm{i}\theta}A):=\tfrac{1}{2}\left(e^{\mathrm{i}\theta} A+e^{-\mathrm{i}\theta}A^\ast\right). \] Now the lines \[ \ell_{\theta,k}=\{\mu\in\mathbb{C}:\mathrm{Re}(e^{\mathrm{i}\theta}\mu)=\lambda_k(\theta)\}, \] when taken for all \(k=1,\ldots,n\), form a family whose envelope is called \textit{Kippenhahn curve} \(C(A)\) of \(A\). In this article, first the higher rank numerical ranges of \textit{generic} matrices, i.e., matrices where \(\lambda_1(\theta),\ldots,\lambda_n(\theta)\) are distinct for all \(\theta\), are described in terms of the components of their Kippenhahn curves. Then tridiagonal, \(2\)-periodic matrices, i.e., matrices where the sequence of their diagonal entries and of their (non-ordered) off-diagonal pairs is \(2\)-periodic, are studied. Finally, reciprocal matrices, i.e., tridiagonal matrices \(A=(a_{ij})\) with constant main diagonal and the off-diagonal pairs satisfying \(a_{i+1,i}a_{i,i+1}=1\), are considered.