Classification of certain types of maximal matrix subalgebras

Abstract

Let $M_n(K)$ denote the algebra of $n\times n$ matrices over a field $K$ of characteristic zero. A nonunital subalgebra $N\subset M_n(K)$ will be called a nonunital intersection if $N$ is the intersection of two unital subalgebras of $M_n(K)$. Appealing to recent work of Agore, we show that for $n\ge 3$, the dimension (over $K$) of a nonunital intersection is at most $(n-1)(n-2)$, and we completely classify the nonunital intersections of maximum dimension $(n-1)(n-2)$. We also classify the unital subalgebras of maximum dimension properly contained in a parabolic subalgebra of maximum dimension in $M_n(K)$.

10 pages