Transformations on the set of all \(n\)-dimensional subspaces of a Hilbert space preserving principal angles (Q5940446)

Wigner's theorem on angle-preserving transformations on the set of 1-dimensional subspaces of a Hilbert space \({\mathcal H}\) says that such transformations are induced by an unitary or antiunitary operator on \({\mathcal H}\). The first complete proof was published by \textit{V. Bargmann} [J. Math. Phys. 5, 862-868 (1964; Zbl 0141.23205)]. The author extends Wigner's theorem to sets of subspaces of higher dimension. Further generalizations in different directions are given by the author in [J. Math. Phys. 40, 5544-5554 (1999; Zbl 0953.46030), Commun. Math. Phys. 201, 785-791 (2000; Zbl 0957.46016) and Int. J. Theor. Phys. 39, 1463-1466 (2000; Zbl 1090.46510)]. In the paper under review he considers real or complex Hilbert spaces \({\mathcal H}\), sets of projections \(P_r({\mathcal H})\) of rank \(r\in\mathbb{N}\cup\{\infty\}\), and angle-preserving transformations \(\Phi: P_r({\mathcal H})\to P_r({\mathcal H})\). His main results are: (1) If \(\dim{\mathcal H}=\infty\), \(r\in\mathbb{N}\), \(r> 1\), any such \(\Phi\) has the form \(\Phi(P)= VPV^*\), \(P\in P_r({\mathcal H})\) for some linear or conjugate-linear isometry \(V\) on \({\mathcal H}\). (2) If (a) \(\dim{\mathcal H}=\infty\), \(r=\infty\), or (b) \(\dim{\mathcal H}\in\mathbb{N}\), \(r> 1\) and \(r\neq{1\over 2}\dim{\mathcal H}\), then \(\Phi\) has the form \(\Phi(P)= UPU^*\), \(P\in P_r({\mathcal H})\) for some unitary or antiunitary operator \(U\) on \({\mathcal H}\).