On numerical ranges of rank-two operators (Q2441076)

Let \(L(\mathbb H)\) be the Banach algebra of all bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space~\(\mathbb H\), and let \(F(A)\) denote the numerical range of \(A\in L(\mathbb H)\). If dim\,\(\mathbb H=n<\infty\), denote \({\mathcal F}_n=\{F(A):A\in M_n(\mathbb C)\}\). The authors prove that, if rank\((A-\lambda I)=k<\infty\) for some \(\lambda\in\mathbb C\), then \(F(A)\in{\mathcal F}_{2k}\). If \(k=2\), they prove that \(F(A)\) either belongs to~\({\mathcal F}_3\), or is the convex hull of two ellipses with a common focus, or has on its boundary~\(\partial F(A)\) at most one flat portion (i.e., a non-singleton intersection with a supporting line). Let \(A\in M_4(\mathbb C)\). According to \textit{V. Pati} [Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., Math. Sci. 111, No. 4, 381--397 (2001; Zbl 0999.15012)], \(A\) is unitarily similar to a tridiagonal matrix; let \((b_i)\) and \((c_i)\) denote its first super- and subdiagonal, respectively. If \(b_i\) or \(c_i\) is nonzero for all \(i=1,2,3\), then \(A\) is unitarily irreducible. For \(x\in{\mathbb C}^4\) with \(\langle x,x\rangle=1\), define \(f_A(x)=\langle Ax,x\rangle\), where \(\langle\cdot,\cdot\rangle\) denotes the inner product. A point \(z\in\partial F(A)\) is multiply generated if \(f_A^{-1}(z)\) contains linearly independent vectors. If \(z\) is neither a corner point nor an endpoint of a flat portion, it is round (in the paper under review). The authors prove that, if \(A\) is unitarily irreducible and satisfies the condition rank\((A-\lambda I)=2\), then \(\partial F(A)\) contains at most one flat portion and no multiply generated round points.