Hermitian matrices over \(K\)-octonions and their diagonalizations (Q6053438)

Let \(K\) be a real closed field and let \(F_4(K)\) denote the group of automorphisms of the \(\mathbb R\)-algebra \(\mathrm{Herm}_3(\mathbb O)\) consisting of \(3\times 3\) matrices over \(\mathbb O\) with the operation \(X\circ Y=\frac 12(XY+YX)\). The authors give an explicit diagonalization of matrices from \(\mathrm{Herm}_3(\mathbb O)\) via \(F_4(K)\). The obtained results have topological and analytical applications. Moreover, the authors investigate the action of \(F_4(K)\) on the \(K\)-Cayley plane \[ \mathbb O(K)P^2=\left\{X\in\mathrm{Herm}(\mathbb O(K)):\colon X^2=X,\; \mathrm{tr}(X)=1\right\}. \] It is proved that for any formally real Pythagorean field the map \(F_4(K)\to\mathbb O(K)P^2\) such that \(\phi\mapsto\phi(E_{11})\), with \(\phi\in F_4(K)\), yields a bijection \[ F_4(K)/\mathrm{Spin}(9,K)\stackrel{\approx}{\longrightarrow}\mathbb O(K)P^2. \]