Basic classes of matrices with respect to quaternionic indefinite inner product spaces (Q2494662)

Basic classes of matrices or linear transformations in finite dimensional quaternionic vector spaces with a regular indefinite inner product are introduced and studied. The classes include plus matrices, selfadjoint, skew-adjoint, and unitary matrices. In particular, results are proved concerning extensions of invariant semidefinite subspaces. The paper is organized as follows. Positive and negative (semi)definite and neutral subspaces with respect to an indefinite inner product are considered, the class of plus matrices is studied, some results on extensions of invariant semidefinite subspaces and a classification of various subclasses of plus matrices are given. The authors use the canonical form of \(H\)-selfadjoint matrices (where \(H\) is an invertible Hermitian matrix over the skew-field of real quaternions) to derive results on extension of invariant semidefinite subspaces for \(H\)-selfadjoint matrices. The cases when every invariant semidefinite subspace is automatically neutral are characterized. Finally, the canonical forms for \(H\)-skew-adjoint and \(H\)-unitary matrices are presented, and the latter are used to study stability and robust stability of periodic Hamiltonian systems with quaternionic coefficients.