Maps preserving absolute continuity and singularity of positive operators (Q2305483)

Let \({\mathcal B}(H)^{+}:=\{A\in {\mathcal B}(H):\langle Ax,x\rangle\ge0 \text{ for all } x\in H\}\) be the set of positive operators on a complex Hilbert space \(H\). An operator \(A\in {\mathcal B}(H)^{+}\) is absolutely continuous relative to \(B\in\mathcal{ B}(H)^{+}\) if there exists an increasing sequence \((Z_n)_n \in\mathcal{ B}(H)^{+}\), converging strongly to \(A\) and such that \(\Im Z_n^{1/2}\subseteq\Im B^{1/2}\) for each index \(n\). The operators \(A,B\in {\mathcal B}(H)^{+}\) are singular if \(\inf\{A,B\}=0\). These two properties, with origins in measure theory, were studied by \textit{T. Ando} in [Acta Sci. Math. 38, 253--260 (1976; Zbl 0337.47011)], where a Lebesgue-type decomposition was also obtained. In the paper under review, the authors classify, with a single stroke, bijective maps on \({\mathcal B}(H)^{+}\) which in both directions preserve absolute continuity and also bijective maps which in both directions preserve singularity. The main result is that, on infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces, such maps take the form \(X\mapsto (TXT^{\ast})^{1/2} Z_X(TXT^{\ast})^{1/2}\) for a (conjugate) linear bounded bijection \(T\) and an invertible positive operator \(Z_X\) which might depend on \(X\). This is done by reduction to bijective maps, defined on the lattice of operator ranges, which in both directions preserve disjointness of operator ranges. A similar classification is obtained on finite-dimensional Hilbert spaces, although the result is a bit less definitive due to the presence of semilinear bijective maps.