Maps preserving zero Jordan products on Hermitian operators. (Q2567510)

For \(H\) a separable complex Hilbert space, let \(B(H)\) be the algebra of all bounded operators on \(H\). If \(^*\) is the usual adjoint map, let \(S(B(H))\) be the Jordan algebra of all Hermitian operators in \(B(H)\). The main result of this paper generalizes, and uses, the known characterization of Jordan automorphisms of \(S(B(H))\) to the case of maps \(\theta\) that preserve zero Jordan products: \(xy+yx=x\circ y=0\) implies \(\theta(x)\circ\theta(y)=0\). The authors first show that any \(R\)-linear map of the Jordan algebra of finite rank Hermitian operators on \(H\) that preserves zero Jordan products must preserve equal Jordan products. For the main result assume \(\theta\colon S(B(H))\to S(B(H))\) is a surjective \(R\)-linear map, \(\theta\) preserves zero Jordan products, and \(\theta\) is continuous in the strong operator topology. Then \(\theta(x)=\lambda uxu^*\) for all \(x\in S(B(H))\), \(\lambda=\theta(1)\) a nonzero real number, and \(u\colon H\to H\) a unitary or anti-unitary operator.