A survey of the Marcus-de Oliveira conjecture (Q2314168)

Let \(A,B\in\mathbb{C}^{n\times n}\) be normal with eigenvalues \(a_1,\dots,a_n\) and \(b_1,\dots,b_n\), respectively, and denote \(\Delta(A,B)=\{\det(A+UBU^*)\mid U\) is unitary\}. \textit{M. Marcus} [Indiana Univ. Math. J. 22, 1137--1149 (1973, Zbl 0243.15025)] and \textit{G. N. de Oliveira} [Linear Multilinear Algebra 12, 153--154 (1982)] conjectured that \(\Delta(A,B)\) is in the convex hull of the set \(\{\prod_{i=1}^n(a_i+b_{\sigma(i)})\mid\sigma\in S_n\}\). This famous Marcus-de Oliveira determinantal conjecture (MOC in short) has been proved in various special cases but the general case has remained open. For example, \textit{M. Fiedler} proved the MOC in his seminal paper [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 30, 27--31 (1971; Zbl 0277.15010)] if \(A\) and \(B\) are Hermitian (the convex hull is then a real interval). For another example, \textit{N. Bebiano}, \textit{J. da Providência}, and the reviewer [Linear Multilinear Algebra 20, 167--170 (1987; Zbl 0612.15001)] proved it for \(n=3\), but the case of \(n=4\) is still open. \textit{S. W. Drury} [Electron. J. Linear Algebra 11, 180--191 (2004; Zbl 1082.15012)] proved a weaker conjecture for \(n=4\). The present author nicely surveys the MOC and its extensions, and also properties of \(\Delta(A,B)\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 1411.13002].