An algebraic characterization of linearity for additive maps preserving orthogonality

Abstract

We study when an additive mapping preserving orthogonality between two complex inner product spaces is automatically complex-linear or conjugate-linear. Concretely, let $H$ and $K$ be complex inner product spaces with dim$(H)\geq 2$, and let $A: H\to K$ be an additive map preserving orthogonality. We obtain that $A$ is zero or a positive scalar multiple of a real-linear isometry from $H$ into $K$. We further prove that the following statements are equivalent: $(a)$ $A$ is complex-linear or conjugate-linear. $(b)$ For every $z\in H$ we have $A(i z) \in \{\pm i A(z)\}$. $(c)$ There exists a non-zero point $z\in H$ such that $A(i z) \in \{\pm i A(z)\}$. $(d)$ There exists a non-zero point $z\in H$ such that $i A(z) \in A(H)$. The mapping $A$ neither is complex-linear nor conjugate-linear if, and only if, there exists a non-zero $x\in H$ such that $i A(x)\notin A(H)$ (equivalently, for every non-zero $x\in H$, $i A(x)\notin A(H)$). Among the consequences we show that, under the hypothesis above, the mapping $A$ is automatically complex-linear or conjugate-linear if $A$ has dense range, or if $H$ and $K$ are finite dimensional with dim$(K)< 2\hbox{dim}(H)$.