Hereditary Classes of Operators and Matrices (Q4340643)

A hereditary polynomial [see \textit{J. Agler}, Pitman Res. Notes Math. 192, 1-23 (1989; Zbl 0788.47005)] is a polynomial in two noncommuting variables \(x\), \(y\) of the form \(p(x, y)= \sum c_{ij} y^jx^i\). Given a bounded linear operator \(A\) on a Hilbert space \({\mathcal H}\) define \(p(A)= \sum c_{ij}A^{*j}A^i\). If \(q(x,y)\) is any polynomial, then there is a unique hereditary polynomial \(p(x,y)\) such that \(q(x,y)= p(x,y)\) for all complex numbers \(x\), \(y\), for instance, if \(q(x,y)= (x-y)^n\), then \(q(A)= \sum^n_{k= 0} (-1)^k\left(\begin{smallmatrix} n\\ k\end{smallmatrix}\right) A^{*k} A^{n-k}\). The main purpose of the paper is ``to expose the general framework of hereditary classes, including the main ideas, results, several particular cases, examples, open problems, and applications''. The hereditary class of \(n\)-selfadjoint operators defined by \(q(A)= 0\) where \(q(x,y)= (x-y)^n\), is studied in detail. A special case of results obtained is that the three identities \(A= A^*\), \(A^*A= A^2\) and \(A^2- 2A^* A+A^{*2}= 0\) are equivalent. The authors also discuss classes of operators which are close to selfadjoint operators in a certain sense, in spaces with indefinite metric.