How small can a sum of idempotents be? (Q2307682)

Let \({\mathcal A}\) be a nontrivial unital associative complex algebra, and let \(\mathrm{Sp}(a)\) denote the spectrum of \(a\in{\mathcal A}\). An element \(a\in{\mathcal A}\) is called nilpotent if \(a^n=0\) for some positive integer \(n\). The smallest integer with this property is called the (nilpotency) order of \(a\). A~nilpotent element with order larger than~1 is necessarily nonzero. An element \(a\in{\mathcal A}\) is said to be quasinilpotent when \(\mathrm{Sp}(a)\subset\{0\}\), and \(a\) is strictly quasinilpotent or nilpotent of order \(\infty\) if it is quasinilpotent but not nilpotent. An element \(p\in{\mathcal A}\) is called idempotent if \(p^2=p\). The paper deals with systematically studying the nilpotency and quasinilpotency of finite sums of idempotents in complex algebras and in Banach algebras. If \(n=1\), then a nilpotent (and a quasinilpotent) idempotent \(p\) vanishes in a purely algebraic context and in a Banach algebra setting. For \(n\ge 5\), there exist nonzero idempotents \(p_1,p_2,\dots,p_n\in{\mathcal A}\) such that their sum \(p_1+\cdots +p_n\) is nilpotent of any finite order \(\nu\) and, respectively, quasinilpotent or strictly quasinilpotent. The paper is concentrated on investigations of sums of idempotents for \(n=2\), \(n=3\) and \(n=4\). In particular, it is shown that a nontrivial nilpotent sum of two idempotents cannot exist, which means that, if \((p_1+p_2)^\nu=0\) for a positive integer \(\nu\), then \(p_1=p_2=0\); in a Banach algebra, a nontrivial quasinilpotent sum of two idempotents cannot exist. In an algebra, a~nontrivial zero sum of three idempotents cannot exist; in a Banach algebra, a~nontrivial order 2 nilpotent sum of three idempotents cannot exist. In a Banach algebra, a nontrivial zero sum of four idempotents cannot exist. The spectral regularity and issues for further investigations are also discussed.