Linear Maps on Hermitian Matrices: The Stabilizer of an Inertia Class

Abstract

AbstractLet T be a linear transformation acting on the space of n x n complex matrices. Let G(k) be the set of all hermitian matrices with k positive and n — k negative eigenvalues. Let T map some indefinite inertia class G(k) onto itself. We classify all such T. The possibilities are congruence, congruence followed by transposition, and, if n = 2k, it is possible that — T can be a congruence or a congruence followed by transposing. In other words, negation is an admissible transformation when n = 2k.