Singularities of base polynomials and Gau-Wu numbers (Q2273869)

The Gau-Wu number of a matrix \(A \in M_n(\mathbb{C})\), denoted by \(k(A)\), is defined by the maximum size of an orthonormal set \(\{x_1, \dots, x_k\} \subseteq \mathbb{C}^n\) such that the values \(\langle Ax_j, x_j\rangle\) lie on the boundary of the numerical range of \(A\). \textit{H.-W. Gau} and \textit{P. Y. Wu} [Oper. Matrices 7, No. 2, 465--476 (2013; Zbl 1278.15026)] showed that \(2 \leq k(A) \leq n\). If \(H_1\) and \(H_2\) are the real and imaginary parts of \(A\), respectively, then the homogeneous polynomial \(F_A(x : y : t) = \det(xH_1 + yH_2 + tI_n)\) is called the base polynomial and the curve \(F_A(x : y : t) = 0\) in the projective space \(\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^2\) is said to be the base curve of the matrix \(A\). As a continuation of the work \textit{K.-Z. Wang} and \textit{P. Y. Wu} [Linear Algebra Appl. 438, No. 1, 514--532 (2013; Zbl 1261.15032)] on classifying the Gau-Wu numbers for \(3 \times 3\) matrices, the authors consider the effect of the singularities of the base curve, whose dual is the boundary generating curve, to classify \(k(A)\). They generalize the concept of flat portions on the boundary of the numerical range, and for \(n \times n\) unitarily irreducible matrices \(A\), give necessary conditions for \(k(A) = 2\), and characterize \(k(A) = n\) in terms of singularities. They use their results to consider the effect of singularities on \(k(A)\) for any \(4 \times 4\) matrix \(A\). In addition, they consider unitarily irreducible matrices \(A\) with reducible base polynomials, and thus, extend the characterization of the irreducible base curves of \(4 \times 4\) matrices by \textit{M.-T. Chien} and \textit{H. Nakazato} [Electron. J. Linear Algebra 23, 755--769 (2012; Zbl 1253.15030)]. Finally, they use the recently proved Lax conjecture to give a new proof of a theorem of \textit{J. W. Helton} and \textit{I. M. Spitkovsky} [Oper. Matrices 6, No. 3, 607--611 (2012; Zbl 1270.15014)]. Several nice examples of matrices with different singularities and values of \(k(A)\) are presented as well.