Multiplicative semigroups of infinite dimensional matrices (Q809161)

The author presents infinite-dimensional analogues of simple elegant classical results from finite-dimensional real matrix theory, coming from the works by \textit{D. Brown} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 15, 671-674 (1964; Zbl 0126.045)] and \textit{W. E. Clark} [Czech. Math. J. 15(90), 305-309 (1965; Zbl 0135.038)], such as: (1) A compact topological (multiplicative) group of \(d\times d\) nonnegative matrices is finite. (2) If S is any multiplicative semigroup of \(d\times d\) real matrices, with a completely simple minimal ideal K, then \(K=\{x\in S\); rank(x)\(\leq rank(y)\) for all \(y\in S\}.\) The generalizations concern the multiplicative semigroups S of real matrices with a state space E being the set of positive integers, such that, for each \(x\in S\), \(\sup_{i\in E}\sum_{j\in E}| x_{i,j}| <\infty.\) Such semigroups appear, for example, in the study of some problems in probability; suitable examples are given.