Convex domains and K-spectral sets

Let $\Omega$ be an open convex domain of the complex plane. We study constants K such that $\Omega$ is K-spectral or complete K-spectral for each continuous linear Hilbert space operator with numerical range included in $\Omega$. Several approaches are discussed.Comment: the introduction was changed and some remarks have been added. 26 pages ; to appear in Math.

On Matsaev's conjecture for contractions on noncommutative LpL^p-spaces

We exhibit large classes of contractions on noncommutative $L^p$-spaces which satisfy the noncommutative analogue of Matsaev's conjecture, introduced by Peller, in 1985. In particular, we prove that every Schur multiplier on a Schatten space $S^p$ induced by a contractive Schur multiplier on $B(\ell^2)$ associated with a real matrix satisfy this conjecture. Moreover, we deal with analogue questions for $C_0$-semigroups. Finally, we disprove a conjecture of Peller concerning norms on the space of complex polynomials arising from Matsaev's conjecture and Peller's problem. Indeed, if $S$ denotes the shift on $\ell^p$ and $\sigma$ the shift on the Schatten space $S^p$, the norms \bnorm{P(S)}_{\ell^p \xra{}\ell^p} and \bnorm{P(\sigma)\ot \Id_{S^p}}_{S^p(S^p) \xra{}S^p(S^p)} can be different for a complex polynomial $P$.Comment: 31 pages; minor corrections; to appear in Journal of Operator Theor

Lectures on Nehari's Theorem on the Polydisk

We give a leisurely proof of a result of Ferguson--Lacey (math.CA/0104144) and Lacey--Terwelleger (math.CA/0601192) on a Nehari theorem for "little" Hankel operators on a polydisk. If H_b is a little Hankel operator with symbol b on product Hardy space we have || H_b || \simeq || b ||_{BMO} where BMO is the product BMO space identified by Chang and Fefferman. This article begins with the classical Nehari theorem, and presents the necessary background for the proof of the extension above. The proof of the extension is an induction on parameters, with a bootstrapping argument. Some of the more technical details of the earlier proofs are now seen as consequences of a paraproduct theory.Comment: 35 pages. 65 Reference

User-friendly tail bounds for sums of random matrices

This paper presents new probability inequalities for sums of independent, random, self-adjoint matrices. These results place simple and easily verifiable hypotheses on the summands, and they deliver strong conclusions about the large-deviation behavior of the maximum eigenvalue of the sum. Tail bounds for the norm of a sum of random rectangular matrices follow as an immediate corollary. The proof techniques also yield some information about matrix-valued martingales. In other words, this paper provides noncommutative generalizations of the classical bounds associated with the names Azuma, Bennett, Bernstein, Chernoff, Hoeffding, and McDiarmid. The matrix inequalities promise the same diversity of application, ease of use, and strength of conclusion that have made the scalar inequalities so valuable.Comment: Current paper is the version of record. The material on Freedman's inequality has been moved to a separate note; other martingale bounds are described in Caltech ACM Report 2011-0

Noncommutative Choquet theory

We introduce a new and extensive theory of noncommutative convexity along with a corresponding theory of noncommutative functions. We establish noncommutative analogues of the fundamental results from classical convexity theory, and apply these ideas to develop a noncommutative Choquet theory that generalizes much of classical Choquet theory. The central objects of interest in noncommutative convexity are noncommutative convex sets. The category of compact noncommutative sets is dual to the category of operator systems, and there is a robust notion of extreme point for a noncommutative convex set that is dual to Arveson's notion of boundary representation for an operator system. We identify the C*-algebra of continuous noncommutative functions on a compact noncommutative convex set as the maximal C*-algebra of the operator system of continuous noncommutative affine functions on the set. In the noncommutative setting, unital completely positive maps on this C*-algebra play the role of representing measures in the classical setting. The continuous convex noncommutative functions determine an order on the set of unital completely positive maps that is analogous to the classical Choquet order on probability measures. We characterize this order in terms of the extensions and dilations of the maps, providing a powerful new perspective on the structure of completely positive maps on operator systems. Finally, we establish a noncommutative generalization of the Choquet-Bishop-de Leeuw theorem asserting that every point in a compact noncommutative convex set has a representing map that is supported on the extreme boundary. In the separable case, we obtain a corresponding integral representation theorem.Comment: 81 pages; minor change