A proof of Lee's conjecture on the sum of absolute values of matrices (Q2674878)

Let \(\|A\|_p\) denote the Schatten \(p\)-norm of \(A\), \(|A|:=(A^*A)^{1/2}\) be the absolute value of \(A\). In [Linear Algebra Appl. 433, No. 3, 580--584 (2010; Zbl 1196.15018)], \textit{E.-Y. Lee} asked for the optimal constant such that \[\|A+B\|_p\le c_p\||A|+|B|\|_p.\] She conjectured that when \(p=2\) (i.e., when the norm is the Frobenius norm), the optimal constant is \(\sqrt{\frac{1+\sqrt{2}}{2}}\). The present paper presents an inequality which confirms the optimality of the constant in the case \(p=2\). This is an interesting work in matrix analysis and the proof is easy to follow.