Spectral inequalities for Kubo-Ando operator means (Q2226398)

Let \({\mathcal M}_n\) be the set of complex \(n\times n\) matrices, and let \({\mathcal P}_n\) be its subset of positive semidefinite matrices. A binary operation \(\sigma\) on \({\mathcal P}_n\) is a matrix connection of order \(n\) if it is monotone, continuous from above, and satisfies \[ X^*(A\,\sigma\,B)X\le(X^*AX)\,\sigma\,(X^*BX) \] for all \(A,B\in{\mathcal P}_n\), \(X\in{\mathcal M}_n\). An operator connection \(\sigma\) is a matrix connection of every order. Its representing function is the unique operator monotone function \(f_\sigma:\mathbb{R}_+\to\mathbb{R}_+\) satisfying \[ f_\sigma(t)I=I\sigma(tI),\quad t>0. \] The dual of \(\sigma(\ne 0)\) is the operator connection \(\sigma^\perp\), defined by \[ A\,\sigma^\perp\,B=(B^{-1}\,\sigma\,A^{-1})^{-1} \] for \(A,B>0\), and extended by continuity to \(A,B\ge 0\). The theory of operator connections is due to \textit{F. Kubo} and \textit{T. Ando} [Math. Ann. 246, 205--224 (1980, Zbl 0412.47013)]. The present authors establish eigenvalue and singular value inequalities involving operator connections. Their main result (Theorem 3.1.(a)) is the following. Let \(A,B\in{\mathcal P}_n\), let \(C\in{\mathcal M}_n\) be Hermitian or symmetric, and let \(\sigma,\tau,\rho\,(\ne 0)\) be operator connections. If \(f_\sigma^2(t)\le f_\tau(t)f_\rho(t)\), \(t>0\), then \[ s_1((A\,\tau^\perp\,B)^\frac{1}{2}\,C^*(A\,\sigma\,B)^\sim C\,(A\,\rho^\perp\,B)^\frac{1}{2}) \le\lambda_1(AC^*B^\sim C). \] Here, \(s_1\) and \(\lambda_1\) denote the largest singular value and eigenvalue, respectively, and the notation \(X^\sim\) stands for \(X\) or \(X^T\). As a consequence, the authors extend or refine results of themselves [Linear Algebra Appl. 547, 19--31 (2018; Zbl 1390.15062)], \textit{T. Ando} [Linear Algebra Appl. 223--224, 57--64 (1995; Zbl 0829.15010)], \textit{G. Visick} [Linear Algebra Appl. 223--224, 731--744 (1995; Zbl 0833.15019)] and \textit{L. Zou} [Linear Algebra Appl. 528, 25--32 (2017; Zbl 1398.15017)].