Lett Math Phys (2011) 97:339–346

DOI 10.1007/s11005-011-0504-y

A Generalization of Powers–Størmer Inequality

YOSHIKO OGATA
Graduate School of Mathematics, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
e-mail: yoshiko@ms.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Received: 15 December 2010 / Accepted: 5 June 2011

Published online: 29 June 2011 – © Springer 2011

s
Abstract. In this note, we prove the following inequality: 2ηϕ2
ξϕ 2 ≥ ϕ(1) + η(1) −
|ϕ − η|(1), where ϕ and η are positive normal linear functionals over a von Neumann
algebra. This is a generalization of the famous Powers–Størmer inequality (Powers and
Størmer proved the inequality for L(H) in Commun Math Phys 16:1–33, 1970; Takesaki
in Theory of Operator Algebras II, 2001). For matrices, this inequality was proven by
Audenaert et al. (Phys Rev Lett 98:160501, 2007). We extend their result to general von
Neumann algebras.
Mathematics Subject Classification (2010). 46L10.

Keywords. Powers–Størmer inequality, Chernoff bound.

1. Introduction
Let A, B be positive matrices and 0 ≤ s ≤ 1. Then an inequality
2T r As B 1−s ≥ T r (A + B − |A − B|) (1)
holds. This is a key inequality to prove the upper bound of Chernoff bound, in
quantum hypothesis testing theory. This inequality was first proven in [3], using an
integral representation of the function t s . Recently, N. Ozawa gave a much sim-
pler proof for the same inequality. In this note, based on his proof, we extend the
inequality to general von Neumann algebras. More precisely, we prove the follow-
ing: Let {M, H, J, P} be a standard form associated with a von Neumann algebra
M, i.e., H is a Hilbert space where M acts on, J is the modular conjugation, and
P is the natural positive cone (see [6]). Let M∗+ be the set of all positive normal
linear functionals over M. For each ϕ ∈ M∗+ , ξϕ is the unique element in the nat-
ural positive cone P which satisfies ϕ(x) = (xξϕ , ξϕ ) for all x ∈ M. We denote the
relative modular operator associated with ϕ, ψ ∈ M∗+ by ϕψ (see Appendix). The
main result in this note is the following:

PROPOSITION 1.1. Let ϕ, η be positive normal linear functionals on a von Neumann

algebra M. Then, for any 0 ≤ s ≤ 1,
s
2
2ηϕ ξϕ 2 ≥ ϕ(1) + η(1) − |ϕ − η|(1). (2)
340 YOSHIKO OGATA

The equality holds iff η = (η − ϕ)+ + ψ and ϕ = (η − ϕ)− + ψ for some ψ ∈ M∗+
whose support is orthogonal to the support of |η − ϕ|.

If s = 21 , this is the Powers–Størmer inequality [5]. Applications of this inequality

for hypothesis testing problem can be found in [4].

2. Proof of Proposition 1.1

We first prove the following lemma which we need in the proof of Proposition 1.1:

LEMMA 2.1. Let ϕ1 , ϕ2 , ψ, η be faithful normal positive linear functionals over a

von Neumann algebra M. Assume that ϕ1 ≤ ϕ2 and η ≤ ψ. Then for all 0 < s < 1,
s s s s
ϕ22 η ξη 2 − ϕ21 η ξη 2 ≤ ϕ22 ψ ξψ 2 − ϕ21 ψ ξψ 2 .

Proof. First we consider the case ϕ2 ≤ ψ. In this case, by Lemma A.1, (Dϕ1 :
Dψ)t , (Dϕ2 : Dψ)t , (Dη : Dψ)t have continuations (Dϕ1 : Dψ)z , (Dϕ2 : Dψ)z , (Dη :
Dψ)z ∈ M, analytic on I− 1 := {z ∈ C : − 21 < z < 0} and bounded continuous on
2
I− 1 , with norm less than or equal to 1.
2
We define a positive operator
T := (Dϕ2 : Dψ)∗−i s (Dϕ2 : Dψ)−i 2s − (Dϕ1 : Dψ)∗−i s (Dϕ1 : Dψ)−i 2s ∈ M. (3)
2 2

−s
To see that T is positive, recall from Lemma A.1 that for any ξ ∈ D(ψψ2 ), we have
−s s
ψψ2 ξ ∈ D(ϕ2k ψ ), and
s
−s
ϕ2k ψ ψψ2 ξ = (Dϕk : Dψ)−i 2s ξ, k = 1, 2.
From this, we obtain
s
−s s
−s
(T ξ, ξ ) = (Dϕ2 : Dψ)−i 2s ξ 2 −(Dϕ1 : Dψ)−i 2s ξ 2 =ϕ22 ψ ψψ2 ξ 2 − ϕ21 ψ ψψ2 ξ 2 .
(4)
−s s
As ψψ2 ξ
is in D(ϕ2 ψ ), the last term is positive from Lemma A.2. This proves
2

T ≥ 0.
Next, we define x  := J ((Dη : Dψ)−i 1−s )J ∈ M . From x   ≤ 1 and 0 ≤ T ∈ M, we
2
have
∗ 1 ∗ 1
(x  T x  ξψ , ξψ ) = (T 2 x  x  T 2 ξψ , ξψ ) ≤ (T ξψ , ξψ ). (5)
− 1−s
As ξψ ∈ D(ψψ2 ), from Lemma A.1, we have
1
−s − 1 + 2s
x  ξψ = J (Dη : Dψ)−i 1−s ξψ = J ηψ
2 2
ψψ2 ξψ
2
1 s s 1 s
2−2 −s
= J ηψ ξψ = ψη J ηψ ξψ = ψη ξη ∈ D(ψη2 ).
2 2 2
(6)
A GENERALIZATION OF POWERS–STØRMER INEQUALITY 341
−s s
By this and Lemma A.1, we have ψη2 x  ξψ ∈ D(ϕ2k η ) and
s
−s s
(Dϕk : Dψ)−i 2s x  ξψ = ϕ2k η ψη2 x  ξψ = ϕ2k η ξη (7)

for k = 1, 2. Hence, we obtain

s s
∗
(x  T x  ξψ , ξψ ) = ϕ22 η ξη 2 − ϕ21 η ξη 2 . (8)
− 2s
On the other hand, substituting ξ = ξψ ∈ D(ψψ ) to (4), we have
s s
(T ξψ , ξψ ) = ϕ22 ψ ξψ 2 − ϕ21 ψ ξψ 2 . (9)

From (5), (8), (9), we obtain the result for the ϕ2 ≤ ψ case.
To extend the result to a general case, we use Lemma A.3. For any ε > 0, we
have

εϕ1 ≤ εϕ2 ≤ ψ + εϕ2 , η ≤ ψ + εϕ2 . (10)

Therefore, for any 0 < s < 1, we have

s s s s
2 2 2 2
εϕ
2
2 ,η ξη  − εϕ1 ,η ξη  ≤ εϕ2 ,ψ+εϕ2 ξψ+εϕ2  − εϕ1 ,ψ+εϕ2 ξψ+εϕ2  .
2 2 2

s s s
Using relations εϕ
2
2 ,η = ε ϕ2 ,η etc, we have
2 2

s s s s
ϕ22 ,η ξη 2 − ϕ21 ,η ξη 2 ≤ ϕ22 ,ψ+εϕ2 ξψ+εϕ2 2 − ϕ21 ,ψ+εϕ2 ξψ+εϕ2 2
1−s 1−s
= ψ+εϕ
2
2 ,ϕ2
ξϕ2 2 − ψ+εϕ
2
2 ,ϕ1
ξϕ1 2

In the second line, we used Lemma A.5. Taking ε → 0 and applying Lemmas A.3
and A.5, we obtain the result. 2

Proof of Proposition 1.1. It is trivial for s = 0, 1. We prove the claim for 0 < s <
1. We first consider faithful ϕ, η. From ϕ ≤ ϕ + (η − ϕ)+ and Lemma A.2, we have
s s s s
ϕ,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 − η,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 ≤ ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
+ ,ϕ
ξϕ 2 − η,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 . (11)

By Lemma 2.1 and inequalities η ≤ ϕ + (η − ϕ)+ , ϕ ≤ ϕ + (η − ϕ)+ , the last term is

bounded as
s s
≤ ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ,ϕ+(η−ϕ)+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2 − η,ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2
s
= ξϕ+(η−ϕ)+ 2 − η,ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2
1−s
= ξϕ+(η−ϕ)+ 2 − ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
+ ,η
ξη 2 . (12)

By ϕ + (η − ϕ)+ ≥ η and Lemma A.2, we have

1−s
(12) ≤ ξϕ+(η−ϕ)+ 2 − η,η
2
ξη 2 = ϕ(1) + (η − ϕ)+ (1) − η(1). (13)
342 YOSHIKO OGATA

Hence, we obtain
s
ϕ(1) − η,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 ≤ ϕ(1) + (η − ϕ)+ (1) − η(1), (14)

which is equal to
s
η(1) − (η − ϕ)+ (1) ≤ η,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 . (15)

We now prove this inequality for general ϕ, η. By considering a von Neumann


algebra Me := eMe with e := s(η) s(ϕ) instead of M if it is necessary, we may
assume ϕ + εη, η + δϕ are faithful on M for any ε, δ > 0. We then have
s
(η + δϕ)(1) − (η + δϕ − (ϕ + εη))+ (1) ≤ η+δϕ,ϕ+εη
2
ξϕ+εη 2 . (16)

Taking the limit ε → 0 and then the limit δ → 0, and using Lemmas A.3 and A.5
we obtain the inequality (15) for general ϕ, η.
To check the condition for the equality, by approximating ϕ and η by ϕ + εη, η +
δϕ in (11), (12), and (13), just as in (16), and taking the limit ε → 0 and δ → 0, we
obtain
s s s s
ϕ,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 − η,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 ≤ ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
+ ,ϕ
ξϕ 2 − ηϕ
2
ξϕ 2
s s
≤ ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ,ϕ+(η−ϕ)+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2 − η,ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2
1−s 1−s
= ξϕ+(η−ϕ)+ 2 − ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
+ ,η
ξη 2 ≤ ξϕ+(η−ϕ)+ 2 − η,η
2
ξη 2
= ϕ(1) + (η − ϕ)+ (1) − η(1). (17)

By Lemma A.4, the first inequality in (??) is an equality iff the support of (η −
ϕ)+ is orthogonal to ϕ and the third inequality is an equality iff the support of
(η − ϕ)− is orthogonal to η. Therefore, if the equality in (17) holds, then (η − ϕ)+
is orthogonal to ϕ and (η − ϕ)− is orthogonal to η.
Conversely, if (η − ϕ)+ is orthogonal to ϕ and (η − ϕ)− is orthogonal to η. Then
we have ϕ + (η − ϕ)+ = η + (η − ϕ)− , where both sides of the equality are sum of
orthogonal elements. Therefore, we have
s s
ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ,ϕ+(η−ϕ)+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2 − η,ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2
s 1−s
= (η−ϕ)
2
ξ
− ,ϕ+(η−ϕ)+ ϕ+(η−ϕ)+
2 = ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ,(η−ϕ)− (η−ϕ)−
2
1−s 1−s
= ϕ,(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
− (η−ϕ)−
2 + (η−ϕ)
2
ξ
+ ,(η−ϕ)− (η−ϕ)−
2
1−s s
= ϕ,(η−ϕ)
2
ξ
− (η−ϕ)−
2 = (η−ϕ)
2
− ,ϕ
ξϕ 2 . (18)

Furthermore, we have
s s s
ϕ+(η−ϕ)
2
+ ,ϕ
ξϕ 2 − ηϕ
2
ξϕ 2 = (η−ϕ)
2
− ,ϕ
ξϕ 2 .
A GENERALIZATION OF POWERS–STØRMER INEQUALITY 343

Hence, the second inequality in (17) is an equality in this case. As the first and
third inequalities are equalities from the orthogonality of (η − ϕ)+ with ϕ and (η −
ϕ)− with η, respectively, the equality holds in (17).
Therefore, the equality in (17) holds iff (η − ϕ)+ is orthogonal to ϕ and (η − ϕ)−
is orthogonal to η. However, the latter condition means η = (η − ϕ)+ + ψ and ϕ =
(η − ϕ)− + ψ for some ψ ∈ M∗+ whose support is orthogonal to the support of
|η − ϕ|.
Replacing η, ϕ, s in (15) with ϕ, η, 1 − s, respectively, we obtain
1−s s
ϕ(1) − (ϕ − η)+ (1) ≤ ϕ,η
2
ξη 2 = η,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 . (19)

Summing (15) and (19), we obtain (2). 2

Acknowledgements
The author is grateful for Professor N. Ozawa, for giving her the simple proof
of the matrix inequality (1). She also thanks Prof. Jakšić and Prof. Seiringer for
kind advices on this note, and Prof. Y. Kawahigashi, Prof. H. Kosaki, and Prof.
C.-A. Pillet for kind discussion. The present research is supported by JSPS Grant-
in-Aid for Young Scientists (B), Hayashi Memorial Foundation for Female Natural
Scientists, Sumitomo Foundation, and Inoue Foundation (Inoue Science Research
Award).

A. Appendix
Let {M, H, J, P} be a standard form associated with a von Neumann algebra M,
i.e., H is a Hilbert space where M acts on, J is the modular conjugation, and P
is the natural positive cone. Let M∗+ be the set of all positive normal linear func-
tionals over M. For each ϕ ∈ M∗+ , ξϕ is the unique element in the natural positive
cone P which satisfies ϕ(x) = (xξϕ , ξϕ ) for all x ∈ M. For ϕ, ψ ∈ M∗+ , we define an
operator Sϕψ as the closure of the operator

Sϕψ (xξψ + (1 − j (s(ψ)))ζ ) := s(ψ)x ∗ ξϕ , x ∈ M, ζ ∈ H,

where s(ψ) ∈ M is the support projection of ψ and j (y) := J y J . The polar decom-
1
position of Sϕψ is given by Sϕψ = J ϕψ
2
where ϕψ is the relative modular oper-
ator associated with ϕ, ψ ∈ M∗+ . The subspace Mξψ + (1 − j (s(ψ)))H of H is a
1
core of ϕψ
2
. The support projection of the positive operator ϕψ is s(ϕ) j (s(ψ)).
z
For a complex number z ∈ C, we define a closed operator ϕψ by

z
ϕψ := (exp[z(log ϕψ )s(ϕ) j (s(ψ))])s(ϕ) j (s(ψ)).

For an operator A on a Hilbert space H, we denote by D(A) its domain.

344 YOSHIKO OGATA

LEMMA A.1. Let ϕ, ψ be faithful normal positive linear functionals over a von
Neumann algebra M. Suppose that there exists a constant λ > 0 such that λϕ ≤ ψ.
Then the cocyle R
t → (Dϕ : Dψ)t ∈ M has an extension (Dϕ : Dψ)z ∈ M ana-
lytic on I− 1 := {z ∈ C : − 21 < z < 0} and bounded continuous on I− 1 with the bound
2 2
(Dϕ : Dψ)z  ≤ λz for all z ∈ I− 1 . Furthermore, for any faithful ζ ∈ M∗+ , 0 < s < 21 ,
2
and any element ξ in D(−s −s
ψζ ), ψζ ξ is in the domain of ϕζ , and
s

sϕζ −s
ψζ ξ = (Dϕ : Dψ)−is ξ. (20)

Proof. The existence and boundedness of (Dϕ : Dψ)z is proven in [1]. To show
the latter part of the Lemma, let ζ ∈ M∗+ be faithful. We define the region I−s
in the complex plane by I−s := {z ∈ C : −s < z < 0} for each 0 < s < 21 . For any
ξ ∈ D(−sψζ ) and ξ1 ∈ D(ϕζ ), we consider two functions on I−s given by F(z) :=
s
−i z −i z̄
(ψζ ξ, ϕζ ξ1 ), and G(z) := ((Dϕ : Dψ)z ξ, ξ1 ). Both of these functions are bounded
continuous on I−s and analytic on I−s . Furthermore, they are equal on R:

F(t) = (itϕζ −it

ψζ ξ, ξ1 ) = ((Dϕ : Dψ)t ξ, ξ1 ) = G(t), ∀t ∈ R.

This means F(z) = G(z) for all z ∈ I−s . In particular, we have F(−is) = G(−is), i.e.,

(−s
ψζ ξ, ϕζ ξ1 ) = ((Dϕ : Dψ)−is ξ, ξ1 ).
s

As this holds for all ξ1 ∈ D(sϕζ ), −s

ψζ ξ is in the domain of ϕζ , and (20) holds.
s

LEMMA A.2. Let ϕ, η, ψ be normal positive linear functionals over

s
a von Neumann
s
algebra M such that ϕ ≤ η. Then for any 0 ≤ s ≤ 1, we have D(η,ψ ) ⊂ D(ϕ,ψ
2 2
) and
s s s
ϕ,ψ
2
ξ  ≤ η,ψ
2
ξ , ∀ξ ∈ D(η,ψ
2
). (21)

Proof. This is proven in [2]. 2

LEMMA A.3. Let ϕ and η be elements in M∗+ and ϕn a sequence in M∗+ such
that limn→∞ ϕn − ϕ = 0. Then for any and 0 < s < 1,
s s
lim ϕ2n ,η ξη  = ϕη
2
ξη .
n→∞

Proof. By the integral representation of t s , we have

s s
ϕ2n ,η ξη 2 − ϕη
2
ξη 2
∞
sin sπ
= dλλs−1 ((ϕn ,η (ϕn ,η + λ)−1 − ϕ,η (ϕ,η + λ)−1 )ξη , ξη ). (22)
π
0
A GENERALIZATION OF POWERS–STØRMER INEQUALITY 345

We denote the term inside of the integral by f n (λ). It is easy to see

| f n (λ)| ≤ λs−1 η(1),

 1 1
  
| f n (λ)| ≤ λs−2 ϕ2n ,η ξη 2 + ϕη
2
ξη 2 ≤ λs−2 ϕ(1) + sup ϕn (1) .
n

Hence, | f n (λ)| is bounded from above by an integrable function independent of n.

Next, we show limn→∞ f n (λ) = 0 for all λ > 0. To do so, we first observe that
1 1
ϕ2n ,η converges to ϕη
2
in the strong resolvent sense: For all xξη + (1 − j (s(η)))ζ ∈
Mξη + (1 − j (s(η)))H, using Powers–Størmer inequality, we have
1 1
ϕ2n ,η (xξη + (1 − j (s(η)))ζ ) − ϕ,η
2
(xξη +(1 − j (s(η)))ζ )2 =s(η)x ∗ ξϕn − s(η)x ∗ ξϕ 2
≤ x ∗ 2 ξϕn − ξϕ 2 ≤ x ∗ 2 ϕn − ϕ → 0, as n → ∞.
1 1
As Mξη + (1 − j (s(η)))H is a common core for all ϕ2n ,η and ϕη
2
, this means
1 1
ϕ2n ,η converges to ϕη
2
in the strong resolvent sense. Therefore, for a bounded con-
1 1
tinuous function g(t) = t 2 (t 2 + λ)−1 , g(ϕ2n ,η ) converges to g(ϕη
2
) strongly. Hence,
we have limn→∞ f n (λ) = 0.
By the Lebesgue’s theorem, we obtain the result. 2

LEMMA A.4. For any ϕ, η ∈ M∗+ with ϕ ≤ η and 0 < s < 1,

s
ηϕ
2
ξϕ  = ξϕ  (23)

if and only if η − ϕ is orthogonal to ϕ.

s
Proof. First we prove if ηϕ
2
ξϕ  = ξϕ , then η − ϕ is orthogonal to ϕ. From
−s −s s
Lemma A.2, for any ζ ∈ D(ηϕ2 ), ηϕ2 ζ is in D(ϕϕ
2
) and
s
−s s
−s
ϕϕ
2
ηϕ2 ζ  ≤ ηϕ
2
ηϕ2 ζ  ≤ ζ .
s
−s −s
Therefore, ϕϕ
2
ηϕ2 defined on D(ηϕ2 ) can be uniquely extended to a bounded
operator A on H, with norm A ≤ 1. We define an operator 0 ≤ T ≤ 1 by T :=
A∗ A. Note that
s s
−s s s s
2
Aηϕ ξϕ = ϕϕ
2
ηϕ2 ηϕ
2
ξϕ = ϕϕ
2
s(η)ξϕ = ϕϕ
2
ξϕ = ξϕ .

From this, and the assumption, we have

s s s s
(T ηϕ
2
ξϕ , ηϕ
2
ξϕ ) = Aηϕ
2
ξϕ 2 = ξϕ 2 = ηϕ
2
ξϕ 2 .

As the spectrum of T is included in [0, 1], this equality means

s s
T ηϕ
2
ξϕ = ηϕ
2
ξϕ . (24)
346 YOSHIKO OGATA

s
For any ζ ∈ D(ηϕ
2
), we have
s s s s s s
(ηϕ
2
ξϕ , ηϕ
2
ζ ) = (T ηϕ
2
ξϕ , ηϕ
2
ζ ) = (Aηϕ
2
ξϕ , Aηϕ
2
ζ ) = (ξϕ , ζ ), (25)
1
from (24). Therefore, ξϕ ∈ D(sηϕ ) and sηϕ ξϕ = ξϕ . Hence, we obtain ηϕ
2
ξϕ = ξϕ .
From this, we have
1
s(ϕ)ξη = J ηϕ
2
ξϕ = ξϕ .

We then obtain

(η − ϕ)(s(ϕ)) = 0,

i.e., the support of η − ϕ is orthogonal to the support of ϕ.

Conversely, if the support of η − ϕ is orthogonal to ϕ, then we have
s s s
ηϕ
2
ξϕ 2 = η−ϕ,ϕ
2
ξϕ 2 + ϕϕ
2
ξϕ 2 = ξϕ 2 . (26)

LEMMA A.5. For all normal positive linear functionals ψ1 , ψ2 over a von Neumann
algebra M, and 0 ≤ s ≤ 1,
s 1−s
ψ2 1 ,ψ2 ξψ2  = ψ22 ,ψ1 ξψ1 . (27)

z z̄ 1−z
Proof. Functions F(z) := (ψ2 1 ,ψ2 ξψ2 , ψ2 1 ,ψ2 ξψ2 ) and G(z) := (ψ22 ,ψ1 ξψ1 ,
1−z̄
ψ22 ,ψ1 ξψ1 ) are bounded continuous on 0 ≤ z ≤ 1 and analytic on 0 < z < 1. It is
easy to check F(it) = G(it) for t ∈ R. Hence, we obtain F(z) = G(z) on 0 ≤ z ≤ 1.
2

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