Globally trace-positive noncommutative polynomials and the unbounded tracial moment problem (Q6084200)

The article investigate the problem of representing noncommutative polynomials \(p\in \mathbb{R}\langle\underline x\rangle=\mathbb{R}\langle x_1, \dots , x_n\rangle\) whose evaluation at any tuple of operators in any tracial Von Neumann algebra \((\mathcal{F}, \tau)\) has nonnegative trace. Such polynomials are called (globally) trace-positive. The main results are obtained solving the dual, unbouded, tracial moment problem, which is the problem of representing linear functionals on self-adjoint noncommutative polynomials \(\mathbb{R}\langle\underline x\rangle_{\text{sa}}\) as noncommutative integration. This setting generalizes the standard commutative case, where several representation result for nonnegative polynomials, called the \emph{Positivstellensätze}, and solutions to the classical moment problem, are available, see respectively [\textit{M. Marshall}, Positive polynomials and sums of squares. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2008; Zbl 1169.13001)] and [\textit{K. Schmüdgen}, The moment problem. Cham: Springer (2017; Zbl 1383.44004)]. This generalized trace-positivity setting has several applications in mathematics and physics (operator algebras, noncommutative probability, quatum mechanics and information), but the theory is so far way less developed. Indeed, Positivstellensätze were previously available only the bounded (Archimedean) case [\textit{I. Klep} et al., Ann. Henri Poincaré 23, No. 1, 67--100 (2022; Zbl 1483.90106) ] or in the univariate one [\textit{I. Klep} et al., J. Algebra 579, 303--317 (2021; Zbl 1468.13057)]. In the article, the tracial moment problem is solved, providing equivalent conditions to the classical, commutative Haviland's and Carleman's theorems. As a consequence, a Positivstellensatz for trace-positive polynomials is obtained. This Positivstellensatz states that every trace-posive noncommutative polynomial lies in the closure of \(\mathcal{K} \subset \mathbb{R}\langle\underline x\rangle_{\text{sa}}\), which is the convex cone of self-adjoint noncommutative polynomials that can be written as sums of hermitian squares and commutators inside the \(\star\)-subalgebra \(\mathbb{R}\langle\underline x , (1+x_1^2)^{-1},\dots , (1+x_n^2)^{-1}\rangle\) of the skew field. Such results are complementted with an approximation theorem for trace-positive polynomials using sums of hermitian squares and commutators in \(\mathbb{R}\langle\underline x\rangle\), and a special treatment for the bivariate case \(n=2\). The latter improvement of the general case is obtained as a consequence of a new, commutative Positivstellensatz, showing that for any commutative polynomial \(f \in \mathbb{R}[x_1,x_2]\) which is globally nonnegative, there exists \(k \in \mathbb{N}\) such that \((1+x_1^2)^k \, f\) is a sums of squares in \(\mathbb{R}[x_1, x_2]\).