Positive polynomials on compact sets (Q5932136)

The original motivation of this paper was to give an algebraic proof of \textit{K. Schmüdgen}'s results [Math. Ann. 289, No.2, 203-206 (1991; Zbl 0744.44008)]. The authors give elegant and short proofs of theorems of Handelman, Pólya and Schmüdgen concerning the algebraic structure of polynomials being positive on certain subsets of \(\mathbb R^n\). The main tool of the proofs is the representation theorem of Kadison-Dubois.