On \(n\)-contractive and \(n\)-hypercontractive operators (Q866832)

A bounded linear operator \(T\) on a complex Hilbert space is said to be \(n\)-contractive if \[ A_n(T):=\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^k\binom nk {T^*}^kT^k\geq0, \] and is said to be \(n\)-hypercontractive if it is \(k\)-contractive for all \(k=1,\dots,n\). In [J.~Oper.\ Theory 13, 203--217 (1985; Zbl 0593.47022)], \textit{J.\,Agler} characterized \(n\)-hypercontractive operators and showed that \(T\) is subnormal if and only if \(T\) is \(n\)-hypercontractive for all \(n\). Let \(\ell^2(\mathbb{Z}^+)\) be the usual Hilbert space of all square-summable complex sequences, and let \(\alpha:\alpha_0,\alpha_1,\alpha_2,\alpha_3,\dots\) be a positive bounded weight sequence. The corresponding weighted shift is defined by \[ T((x_k)_{k\geq0}):=(0,\alpha_0x_0,\alpha_1x_1,\alpha_2x_2,\dots),\quad(x_k)_{k\geq0}\in \ell^2(\mathbb{Z}^+). \] In [Pac.\ J.\ Math.\ 17, 367--379 (1966; Zbl 0189.43902)], \textit{J.\,G.\thinspace Stampfli} showed that for \(0<a<b<c\) there exists a unique subnormal weighted shift of minimal norm with first three weights \(\sqrt{a},\sqrt{b},\sqrt{c}\). This weighted shift is denoted by \(W_{a,b}\) and its weight sequence is denoted by \((\sqrt{a},\sqrt{b},\sqrt{c})^\wedge\). In the paper under review, the author first shows that for every positive integer \(n\), the set of all nonnegative real numbers \(x\) for which the weighted shift \(W_{\alpha(x)}\) with the corresponding weight sequence \[ \alpha(x):\sqrt{x},\sqrt{2/3},\sqrt{3/4},\sqrt{4/5},\dots \] is \(n\)-contractive is a closed interval \([0,\sqrt{\mu_n}]\), and that the sequence \((\mu_n)_{n\geq1}\) is strictly decreasing and tends to \(1/2\). When \(n\geq3\), this result produces an \(n\)-contractive hyponormal weighted shift which is not \((n+1)\)-contractive. The author next uses an \(n\)-contractive approach to reestablish some subnormality results originally proved in the \(k\)-hyponormal context; see [Integral Equations Oper.\ Theory 18, No.\,4, 369--426 (1994; Zbl 0807.47016) and Proc.\ Am.\ Math.\ Soc.\ 130, No.\,2, 565--576 (2002; Zbl 1003.47025)]. Furthermore, he shows that if \(c\) is chosen so that \(\| W_{a,b}\| =1\) and if the weighted shift \(W_\alpha\) associated to the weight sequence \[ \alpha:\sqrt{x_m},\sqrt{x_{m-1}},\dots,\sqrt{x_{1}},(\sqrt{a},\sqrt{b},\sqrt{c})^\wedge \] is \(2\)-hyponormal, then \(W_\alpha\) is both \(3\)-contractive and \(4\)-contractive. He notices that if such weighted shift \(W_\alpha\) is \(3\)-hyponormal instead of \(2\)-hyponormal, then it is subnormal, and thus \(n\)-contractive for all \(n\). He therefore provides an example of an extension with \(m=2\) and for which the corresponding weighed shift \(W_\alpha\) is \(2\)-hyponormal but not \(5\)-contractive. The author finally investigates back step extensions with the first two weights equal. In particular, he proves that for ever \(0<a<1\) and positive integer \(n\), there exists some real number \(b\) satisfying \(a<b<1\) and so that the weighted shift with the corresponding weight sequence \[ \sqrt{a},(\sqrt{a},\sqrt{b},\sqrt{c})^\wedge \] is \(n\)-contractive. Here, the constant \(c\) is chosen as said above so that \(\| W_{a,b}\| =1\).