Sub-\(n\)-normal operators (Q2494157)

Let \(\mathcal{L}(H)\) be the algebra of all bounded linear operators on a separable infinite-dimensional complex Hilbert space \(H\). An operator \(N\in\mathcal{L}(H)\) is said to be \(n\)-normal if \(H\) is isomorphic to the direct sum \(K^{(n)}\) of \(n\) copies of a complex Hilbert space \(K\) and if \(N\) can be viewed as \(n\times n\) operator matrix \((N_{i,j})_{1\leq i,j\leq n}\) acting on \(K^{(n)}\) that have commuting normal entries \(N_{i,j}\), \(i,j=1,2,\dots,n\). An operator \(J\in\mathcal{L}(H)\) is said to be a Jordan operator if it can be written as \(J=N+Q\), where \(N\) is normal, \(Q\) is nilpotent, and \(N\) commutes with \(Q\). A sub-\(n\)-normal operator (resp., sub-Jordan operator) is the restriction of an \(n\)-normal operator (resp., Jordan operator) to an invariant subspace. In this paper, the authors obtain some structure theorems for sub-\(n\)-normal operators and contrast these operators with sub-Jordan ones. Reviewer's remark: The proof of Lemma 2.1 contains an error as the authors use the incorrect equality \(\ker A=\ker A^2\). Fortunately, the error can be easily fixed, and the lemma is therefore true as stated.