On the value of the fifth maximal projection constant

Abstract

Let $\lambda(m)$ denote the maximal absolute projection constant over real $m$-dimensional subspaces. This quantity is extremely hard to determine exactly, as testified by the fact that the only known value of $\lambda(m)$ for $m>1$ is $\lambda(2)=4/3$. There is also numerical evidence indicating that $\lambda(3)=(1+\sqrt{5})/2$. In this paper, relying on a new construction of certain mutually unbiased equiangular tight frames, we show that $\lambda(5)\geq 5(11+6\sqrt{5})/59 \approx 2.06919$. This value coincides with the numerical estimation of $\lambda(5)$ obtained by B. L. Chalmers, thus reinforcing the belief that this is the exact value of $\lambda(5)$.