Linear maps preserving pairs of Hermitian matrices on which the rank is additive and applications (Q2574340)

A pair of matrices \((A,B)\) is rank-additive if rank\((A+B)=\) rank\,\(A+\) rank\,\(B\). Recently, \textit{H. You} and \textit{X. M. Tang} [Linear Algebra Appl. 380, 185--198 (2004; Zbl 1059.15009)] classified all Jordan triple product automorphisms on symmetric and on alternate matrices, by reducing them to rank-additivity preservers. With a similar approach, \textit{A. A. Alieva} and \textit{A. E. Guterman} [Commun. Algebra 33, No. 9, 3335--3352 (2005; Zbl 1082.15002)] classified linear preservers of minus partial orderings. The authors of the paper under review consider real-linear mappings on (complex) Hermitian matrices \({\mathcal H}_n(\mathbb{C})\) that preserve rank-additivity. It is shown that either such mapping is zero, or else it preserves rank-one Hermitian matrices. The characterization is then obtained by using the known results on rank-one preservers, e.g., \textit{E. M. Baruch} and \textit{R. Loewy} [Linear Algebra Appl. 183, 89--102 (1993; Zbl 0776.15007)], or \textit{M. H. Lim} [Linear Algebra Appl. 408, 259--267 (2005; Zbl 1079.15003)]. Using a similar approach, they also classify the real-linear mappings on \({\mathcal H}_n(\mathbb{C})\) that commute with taking adjoints. Both problems are considered on skew-Hermitian matrices as well. The authors use a nice reduction, via the mapping \(\widetilde{\Phi}:X\mapsto i\Phi(i X)\), to transfer them from skew-Hermitian to Hermitian matrices. As another application, Jordan homomorphisms of \({\mathcal H}_n(\mathbb{C})\) are classified. [Rewiever's remark: A similar problem of rank-aditivity preservers on symmetric matrices was solved by \textit{X. Zhang} [Linear Multilinear Algebra 53, No. 3, 153--165 (2005; Zbl 1076.15006)].