Birkhoff-James orthogonality of linear operators on finite dimensional Banach spaces (Q342913)

Let \(X\) be a finite-dimensional real Banach space, with unit ball \(B_X\) and unit sphere \(S_X\). Given \(x,y\in X\), it is said that \(x\) is Birkhoff orthogonal to \(y\) (denoted by \(x\perp_B y\)) if \(\|x\| \leq \|x+\lambda y\|\) for all \(\lambda\in \mathbb{R}\), and that \(x\) is \(B\)-left symmetric if \(x\perp_B y\) implies \(y\perp_B x\) for any \(y\in X\). If \(L(X)\) is the Banach space of all linear operators on \(X\) endowed with the usual operator norm, both notions of Birkhoff orthogonality and \(B\)-symmetry can be applied for every \(T\in L(X).\) The author presents a characterization of Birkhoff orthogonality of two linear operators: \(T\perp_B A\) if and only if there exist \(x,y\in S_X\) such that \(\|T\|=\|T(x)\|\leq \|T(x)+\lambda A(x)\|\) for all \(\lambda\geq 0\), and \(\|T\|=\|T(y)\|\leq \|T(y)+\lambda A(y)\|\) for all \(\lambda\leq 0\). A corollary of this result is a weaker previous characterization by \textit{D. Sain} and \textit{K. Paul} [Linear Algebra Appl. 439, No. 8, 2448--2452 (2013; Zbl 1291.46024)]. The rest of the paper is devoted to obtaining some properties related to \(B\)-left symmetry when \(X\) is strictly convex. For instance, if \(T\) is \(B\)-left symmetric and \(x\in S_X\) such that \(\|T(x)\|=\|T\|\), then \(T(x)\) is \(B\)-left symmetric. As a consequence, if \(S_X\) has no any left symmetric point, then \(L(X)\) cannot have any nonzero left symmetric point. When \(X\) is strictly convex and smooth, if there exist \(x,y\in S_X\) such that \(\|T\|=\|T(x)\|\), \(x\perp_B y\), and \(T(y)\neq 0\), then \(T\) cannot be \(B\)-left symmetric. This last result is useful in order to prove that an invertible linear operator (in a strictly and smooth Banach space) cannot be \(B\)-left symmetric. Finally, it is proved that a linear operator on \(l_p^2\) (\(2\leq p< \infty\)) is \(B\)-left symmetric if and only if it is the zero operator (which is the same that happens in any \(n\)-dimensional Hilbert space). The author suggests to study the above property when other finite-dimensional strictly convex and smooth real Banach spaces are considered. An example of a nonzero left symmetric linear operator on \(l_1^2\) is presented.