Stable invariant Lagrangian subspaces: Factorization of symmetric rational matrix functions and other applications (Q919072)

The stability of invariant Lagrangian subspaces has been studied by the authors in two earlier papers [Oper. Theory: Adv. Appl. 32, 181-218 (1988; Zbl 0658.47010) and ibid. 40, 391-425 (1989; Zbl 0691.47006)]. The general situation is as follows. For fixed \(\xi\), \(\eta\) equal to 1 or -1 and n even, consider the pairs of real \(n\times n\) matrices (H,A) satisfying the conditions: (*) H is invertible, \(H^ T=\xi H\) and \(HA=\eta A^ TH\). A subspace M of dimension n/2 in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) is called H-Lagrangian if \(x^ THy=0\) for all x,y\(\in M\). An A-invariant H- Lagrangian subspace M is ``stable'' (in various sense) if, whenever (G,B) is a pair of matrices satisfying the analogue of (*) and (G,B) is ``close'' to (H,A) in a suitable sense, then there is a G-invariant B- Lagrangian subspace \(M'\) which is ``close'' to M. The present paper shows how some problems in stability which are related to factorizations of certain symmetric matrix polynomials and to matrix boundary value problems with symmetries can be reduced to the stability problem described above, and in some cases solved using their earlier results.