Extending the notion of parallelism we introduce the concept of approximate parallelism in normed spaces and then substantially restrict ourselves to the setting of Hilbert space operators endowed with the operator norm. We present several characterizations of the exact and approximate operator parallelism in the algebra $\mathbb{B}(\mathscr{H})$ of bounded linear operators acting on a Hilbert space $\mathscr{H}$. Among other things, we investigate the relationship between approximate parallelism and norm of inner derivations on $\mathbb{B}(\mathscr{H})$. We also characterize the parallel elements of a $C^*$-algebra by using states. Finally we utilize the linking algebra to give some equivalence assertions regarding parallel elements in a Hilbert $C^*$-module.

Some subadditivity inequalities for matrices and concave functions also hold for Hilbert space operators, but (unfortunately!) with an additional $\varepsilon$ term. It seems not possible to erase this residual term. However, in case of compact operators we show that the $\varepsilon$ term is unnecessary. Further, these inequalities are strict in a certain sense when some natural assumptions are satisfied. The discussion also stresses on matrices and their compressions and several open questions or conjectures are considered, both in the matrix and operator settings.

Let $RG$ denote the group ring of the group $G$ over the ring $R$. Using an isomorphism between $RG$ and a certain ring of $n \times n$ matrices in conjunction with other techniques, the structure of the unit group of the group algebra of the dihedral group of order $8$ over any finite field of chracteristic $2$ is determined in terms of split extensions of cyclic groups.

We say that a function $h \from \real \to \real$ is a Hamel function ($h \in \ham$) if $h$, considered as a subset of $\real^2$, is a Hamel basis for $\real^2$. We show that $\A(\ham)\geq\omega$, \emph{i.e.,} for every finite $F \subseteq \real^\real$ there exists $f\in\real^\real$ such that $f+F \subseteq \ham$. From the previous work of the author it then follows that $\A(\ham)=\omega$.

Let $R_n(\alpha)$ be the $n!\times n!$ matrix whose matrix elements $[R_n(\alpha)]_{\sigma\rho}$, with $\sigma$ and $\rho$ in the symmetric group $\sn$, are $\alpha^{\ell(\sigma\rho^{-1})}$ with $0<\alpha<1$, where $\ell(\pi)$ denotes the number of cycles in $\pi\in \sn$. We give the spectrum of $R_n$ and show that the ratio of the largest eigenvalue $\lambda_0$ to the second largest one (in absolute value) increases as a positive power of $n$ as $n\rightarrow \infty$.

The tracial numerical range of operators on a $2$-dimensional Krein space is investigated. Results in the vein of those obtained in the context of Hilbert spaces are obtained.

We prove a self-adjoint analogue of the Marcus--Pisier inequality, comparing the expected value of convex functionals on randomreflection matrices and on elements of the Gaussian orthogonal (or unitary) ensemble.

A well-known theorem states that if $f(z)$ generates a PF$_r$ sequence then $1/f(-z)$ generates a PF$_r$ sequence. We give two counterexamples which show that this is not true, and give a correct version of the theorem. In the infinite limit the result is sound: if $f(z)$ generates a PF sequence then $1/f(-z)$ generates a PF sequence.

Let $n=2m$ be even and denote by $\Sp_n(F)$ the symplectic group of rank $m$ over an infinite field $F$ of characteristic different from $2$. We show that any $n\times n$ symmetric matrix $A$ is equivalent under symplectic congruence transformations to the direct sum of $m\times m$ matrices $B$ and $C$, with $B$ diagonal and $C$ tridiagonal. Since the $\Sp_n(F)$-module of symmetric $n\times n$ matrices over $F$ is isomorphic to the adjoint module $\sp_n(F)$, we infer that any adjoint orbit of $\Sp_n(F)$ in $\sp_n(F)$ has a representative in the sum of $3m-1$ root spaces, which we explicitly determine.

It is proved that every adjacency preserving continuous map on the vector space of real matrices of fixed size, is either a bijective affine tranformation of the form $ A \mapsto PAQ+R$, possibly followed by the transposition if the matrices are of square size, or its range is contained in a linear subspace consisting of matrices of rank at most one translated by some matrix $R$. The result extends previously known theorems where the map was assumed to be also injective.

In this paper, we give some conditions to judge when a system of Hermitian quadratic forms has a real linear combination which is positive definite or positive semi-definite. We also study some related geometric and topological properties of the moduli space.

We generalize the well-known result that a square traceless complex matrix is unitarily similar to a matrix with zero diagonal to arbitrary connected semisimple complex Lie groups $G$ and their Lie algebras $\mathfrak{g}$ under the action of a maximal compact subgroup $K$ of $G$. We also introduce a natural partial order on $\mathfrak{g}$: $x\le y$ if $f(K\cdot x) \subseteq f(K\cdot y)$ for all $f\in \mathfrak{g}^*$, the complex dual of $\mathfrak{g}$. This partial order is $K$-invariant and induces a partial order on the orbit space $\mathfrak{g}/K$. We prove that, under some restrictions on $\mathfrak{g}$, the set $f(K\cdot x)$ is star-shaped with respect to the origin.

Let $U(n)$ be the group of $n\times n$ unitary matrices. We show that if $\phi$ is a linear transformation sending $U(n)$ into $U(m)$, then $m$ is a multiple of $n$, and $\phi$ has the form $$ A \mapsto V[(A\otimes I_s)\oplus (A^t \otimes I_{r})]W $$ for some $V, W \in U(m)$. From this result, one easily deduces the characterization of linear operators that map $U(n)$ into itself obtained by Marcus. Further generalization of the main theorem is also discussed.

Let $c = (c_1, \dots, c_n)$ be such that $c_1 \ge \cdots \ge c_n$. The $c$-numerical range of an $n \times n$ matrix $A$ is defined by $$ W_c(A) = \Bigl\{ \sum_{j=1}^n c_j (Ax_j,x_j) : \{x_1, \dots, x_n\} \text{ an orthonormal basis for } \IC^n \Bigr\}, $$ and the $c$-numerical radius of $A$ is defined by $r_c (A) = \max \{|z| : z \in W_c (A)\}$. We determine the structure of those linear operators $\phi$ on algebras of block triangular matrices, satisfying $$ W_c \bigl( \phi(A) \bigr) = W_c (A) \text{ for all } A \quad \text{or} \quad r_c \bigl( \phi(A) \bigr) = r_c (A) \text{ for all } A. $$

Suppose $m$ and $n$ are integers such that $1 \le m \le n$. For a subgroup $H$ of the symmetric group $S_m$ of degree $m$, consider the {\it generalized matrix function} on $m\times m$ matrices $B = (b_{ij})$ defined by $d^H(B) = \sum_{\sigma \in H} \prod_{j=1}^m b_{j\sigma(j)}$ and the {\it generalized numerical range} of an $n\times n$ complex matrix $A$ associated with $d^H$ defined by $$ \wmp(A) = \{d^H (X^*AX): X \text{ is } n \times m \text{ such that } X^*X = I_m\}. $$ It is known that $\wmp(A)$ is convex if $m = 1$ or if $m = n = 2$. We show that there exist normal matrices $A$ for which $\wmp(A)$ is not convex if $3 \le m \le n$. Moreover, for $m = 2 < n$, we prove that a normal matrix $A $ with eigenvalues lying on a straight line has convex $\wmp(A)$ if and only if $\nu A$ is Hermitian for some nonzero $\nu \in \IC$. These results extend those of Hu, Hurley and Tam, who studied the special case when $2 \le m \le 3 \le n$ and $H = S_m$.

A theory of minimal realizations of rational matrix functions $W(\lambda)$ in the ``pencil'' form $W(\lambda)=C(\lambda A_1-A_2)^{-1}B$ is developed. In particular, properties of the pencil $\lambda A_1-A_2$ are discussed when $W(\lambda)$ is hermitian on the real line, and when $W(\lambda)$ is hermitian on the unit circle.

Quaternionic numerical range is not always a convex set. In this note, an explicit criterion is given for the convexity of quaternionic numerical range.