Product numerical range in a space with tensor product structure (Q609509)

For an operator \(A\) on the bipartite tensor product Hilbert space \(H_K\otimes H_M\), where \(H_K\) and \(H_M\) are of dimensions \(K\) and \(M\), respectively, its product numerical range \(\Lambda^\otimes(A)\) is, by definition, \(\{\langle A(x\otimes y),x\otimes y\rangle: x\in H_K\) and \(y\in H_M\) are unit vectors\}. The purpose of this paper is to launch a study of the basic properties of product numerical ranges. Among other things, it is shown that {\parindent6mm \begin{itemize}\item[(1)] \(\Lambda^\otimes(A)\) always contains \((\text{tr\,}A)/(KM)\), \item[(2)] \(\Lambda^\otimes(A)\) is not necessarily convex, \item[(3)] \(\Lambda^\otimes(A_1\otimes A_2)\) is simply connected, \item[(4)] \(\Lambda^\otimes(A)\) is a closed interval \([\lambda^\otimes_{\min},\lambda^\otimes_{\max}]\) of the real line with \(\lambda^\otimes_{\min}\leq \lambda_{(K-1)(M- 1)+1}\) and \(\lambda^\otimes_{\max}\geq \lambda_{K+M-1}\) if \(A\) is Hermitian with eigenvalues \(\lambda_1\leq\cdots\leq \lambda_{MK}\). \end{itemize}} Many of these also hold for operators on multipartite tensor product Hilbert spaces, but not (3), which is not true even for the threefold case. The paper ends with some open problems. Samples: (a) determine \(\lambda^\otimes_{\min}\) and \(\lambda^\otimes_{\max}\) for a Hermitian \(A\), (b) determine \(\Lambda^\otimes(U)\) for a unitary operator \(U\), and (c) is \(\Lambda^\otimes(A\otimes B)\) always star-shaped?