The mosaic and principal function of a subnormal operator (Q2494160)

Let \(S\) be a pure subnormal operator on a complex Hilbert space \({\mathcal H}\) with minimal normal extension \(N\) on a complex Hilbert space \({\mathcal K}\supset {\mathcal H}\). Let \(\Lambda\) be the adjoint of the compression of \(S^*\) to \({\mathcal M}:=\overline{[S^*,S]{\mathcal H}}\), and let \(e\) be the compression of the spectral measure of \(N\) to \({\mathcal M}\). The mosaic \(\mu\) of \(S\), introduced by \textit{D.--X.\ Xia} in [Integral Equations Oper.\ Theory 10, 258--289 (1987; Zbl 0645.47020)], is a \({\mathcal L}({\mathcal M})\)-valued function defined by \[ \mu(z):=\int\frac{u-\Lambda}{u-z}e(du),~z\in\rho(N). \] Here, \({\mathcal L}({\mathcal M})\) is the algebra of all bounded linear operators on \({\mathcal M}\) and \(\rho(N)\) is the resolvent set of \(N\). The authors here prove that \(z\in\rho(N)\) is a Fredholm point of \(S\) if and only if \({\text{tr}}(\mu(z))\) is finite and that \({\text{tr}}(\mu(z))=-\text{ind}(S-z)\) for all Fredholm points \(z\in\rho(N)\) of \(S\). From this result, one can derive that if the self-commutator of \(S\) has finite rank, then the principal function of Pincus can be defined as \(g_S(z):={\text{tr}}(\mu(z)),~z\in\rho(N)\). This definition allows them to provide simplified proofs of some of the basic properties of the principal function and of the Carey--Helton--Howe--Pincus theorem in the subnormal case. Most of the results obtained have been proven before, but the proofs here are to some extent original; cf., for instance, [\textit{J.~D.\ Pincus}, Proc.\ Natl.\ Acad.\ Sci.\ USA 68, 1684--1685 (1971; Zbl 0227.47011); \textit{J.~W.\ Helton} and \textit{R.~E.\ Howe}, Proc. Conf. Oper. Theory, Dalhousie Univ., Halifax 1973, Lect. Notes Math. 345, 141--209 (1973; Zbl 0268.47054); \textit{R.~W.\ Carey} and \textit{J.~D.\ Pincus}, Acta Math.\ 138, 153--218 (1977; Zbl 0364.46048), and \textit{D.--X.\ Xia}, Integral Equations Oper.\ Theory 10, 880--903 (1987; Zbl 0635.47022)].