A note on the unitary part of a contraction (Q710867)

Let \(M_n\) be the set of \(n\times n\) complex matrices. Suppose \(A\in M_n\) is a contraction, i.e. \(\| Ax\|\leq\| x\|\) for all \(x\in\mathbb{C}^n\). By the Schur triangularization lemma, there is a unitary \(U\) such that \(U^*AU= (a_{ij})\) is in upper triangular form with \(|a_{11}|\leq\cdots\leq |a_{nn}|\leq 1\). Because every column of \(U^*AU\) has norm at most one, if \(|a_{11}|=\cdots= |a_{mm}|< 1= |a_{m_1,m+1}|=\cdots= |a_{nn}|\), then \(U^*AU= A_1\oplus A_2\), where \(A_1\) has spectral radius strictly less than 1, and \(A_2= \text{diag}(a_{m+1,m+1},\dots,a_{nn})\) is unitary. The matrix \(A_2\) is the restriction (compression) of \(A\) on the subspace \(S\) spanned by the last \(n-m\) columns of \(U\), and is called the unitary part of \(A\). Suppose \(j(A)\) is the smallest nonnegative integer such that \(H_j(A)=\ker(I- A^{j^*} A^j)\) equals \(S\), and \(k(A)\) is the smallest nonnegative integer such that \(H_k(A)\cap H_k(A^*)\) equals \(S\). It was recently shown by \textit{H. Gau} and \textit{P. Wu} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 366, No. 2, 700--705 (2010; Zbl 1192.47009)] that \(j(A)\leq n\) and \(k(A)\leq\lceil n/2\rceil\). They also characterized those \(A\in M_n\) satisfying \(j(A)=n\) (respectively, \(k(A)= \lceil n/2\rceil\)). In the present paper the author gives short and independent proofs to the two recent results of Ga and Wu on the unitary part of a contraction mentioned above.