On similarity invariants of matrix commutators (Q5947459)

The authors study the possible eigenvalues, ranks and numbers of nonconstant invariant polynomials of \([\dots[[A,X_1], X_2], \dots, X_k]\), when \(A\) is a fixed matrix and \(X_1,\dots, X_k\) vary. Then these results are generalized in the following way. Let \(g(X_1, \dots,X_k)\) be any expression obtained from distinct noncommutative variables \(X_1,\dots,X_k\) by applying recursively the Lie product \([\cdot, \cdot]\) and without using the same variable twice. The paper studies the possible eigenvalues, ranks and numbers of nonconstant invariant polynomials of \(g(X_1, \dots, X_k)\) when one of the variables \(X_1,\dots, X_k\) takes a fixed value in \(F^{n\times n}\) and the others vary.