Norms of Schur multipliers (Q5900222)

Let \(A = [a_{ij}]_{i,j \in S}\) be a finite or infinite matrix. The Schur multiplier is the operator \(S_A\) on \(B(\ell^2(S))\) which takes \(T = [t_{ij}]\) to \(S_A(T) = [a_{ij}t_{ij}]\). An infinite matrix \(S = [s_{ij}]\) is supported on a pattern \(P\) (i.e., a subset of \({\mathbb N} \times {\mathbb N}\)) if \(\{(i,j) : s_{ij}= 0\}\) is contained in \(P\). A pattern \(P\) is called Schur bounded if every infinite matrix with bounded scalar entries supported on \(P\) yields a bounded Schur multiplier on \(B(H)\). Such sets are characterized as being the union of a subset with at most \(k\) entries in each row with another that has at most \(k\) entries in each column, for some finite \(k\); see \textit{L.\,N.\thinspace Nikol'skaya} and \textit{Yu.\,B.\thinspace Farforovskaya} [St.\ Petersbg.\ Math.\ J.\ 15, No.\,6, 915--928 (2004; Zbl 1093.47031)]. If \(k\) is optimal, there is a Schur multiplier supported on the pattern with norm \(O(\sqrt{k})\), which is sharp up to a constant. This result may be deduced from results of \textit{N.\,Th.\,Varopoulos} [J.~Funct.\ Anal.\ 16, 83--100 (1974; Zbl 0288.47006)] and \textit{G.\,Pisier} [Am.\ J.\ Math.\ 117, No.\,2, 337--376 (1995; Zbl 0853.43008)]. The techniques presented in the present paper are more elementary. The authors also compute the Schur multiplier norm of certain matrices having lots of symmetry.