Wiener-Hopf indices of unimodular functions on the unit circle, revisited (Q6565841)

The computation of the Wiener-Hopf indices \(\kappa_j\in\mathbb{Z}\) of an \(m\times m\) matrix valued function \(R(z)\) taking unitary values on the unit circle \(\mathbb{T}\) is revisited using an operator theoretic approach. These indices appear as \(D(z)=\mathrm{diag}(z^{\kappa_j})_{j=1}^m\) in the factorization \(R(z)=W_-(z)D(z)W_+(z)\), where \(W_\pm\) and their inverse are analytic inside and outside the unit circle respectively.\N\NIf \(T_R\) and \(H_R\) are the Toeplitz and Hankel operators with symbol \(R\), then \(T_R=T_{W_-}T_DT_{W_+}\) so that the \(\kappa_j\) can be related to the dimension of the kernel of \(T_{z^kR}\). This is used to arrive at the main result. Starting from a factorization \(R=VW^*\) with \(V\) and \(W\) both rational bi-inner functions (i.e.\ analytic in the open unit disk and a.e.\ unitary on \(\mathbb{T}\)), then \(T_R=T_VT_W^*+H_V Y H_W^*\) with \(Y\) a contraction. Properties of bi-inner functions are studied by replacing \(V\) and \(W\) by finite Blaschke products, but obtaining the structure of \(Y\) is the ultimate goal.\N\NAs a computational ingredient, it is assumed that a stable unitary state space realization \(W(z)=D_w+zC_w(I-zA_w)^{-1}B_w\) is known (and similarly for \(V\)). By solving two Stein equations, a matrix \(Q\) characterizing the properties of \(Y\) can be obtained, and since \(\mathrm{dim\,Ker}(T_{z^k R})=\mathrm{dim\,Ker}(I-A_w^kQA_w^{*k})\) it are eventually the dimensions of the eigenspaces of the latter, that will allow to recover the \(\kappa_j\).\N\NFinally, the relation of these results with the results in the paper [\textit{G. J. Groenewald} et al., Indag. Math., New Ser. 28, No. 3, 694--710 (2017; Zbl 06722466)] is given.