On the trigonometric moment problem in two dimensions (Q692598)

Let \(\Pi(m,n)\) be the set of bivariate polynomials of degree \(\leq m\) in \(z\) and \(\leq n\) in \(w\). If \(E_{m,n}\in\Pi(m,n)\) is zero-free in \(|z|<1,|w|<1\), then \(d\mu(\theta,\phi)=|E_{m,n}(\mathrm e^{\mathrm i\theta},\mathrm e^{\mathrm i\phi})|^{-2}d\theta d\phi\) defines a positive measure, and hence a positive definite inner product in \(L^2(d\mu)\). The positive definite moment matrix has a block Toeplitz structure with Toeplitz blocks. The problem considered is to extend a moment matrix truncated to \(\Pi(m,n)\), keeping its structure and definite property. \textit{J. S. Geronimo} and \textit{H. J. Woerdeman} solved the problem in [Ann. Math. (2) 160, No. 3, 839--906 (2005; Zbl 1084.42019)]. They rely on the univariate case, considering the second variable as a parameter. A geometric interpretation of their approach is that the subspaces \(z\Pi(m+1,n)\) and \(\Pi(m,n-1)\) intersect orthogonally. This paper gives an alternative proof for the extension problem. It is based on the previous geometric property: extend while keeping the subspaces perpendicular.