Trace-norm variational principle for Hermitian operators ($\Vert X{\Vert }_1={\max }_{-I\le T\le I}\mathrm{Tr}(XT)$)

A Hermitian operator satisfies $\Vert X{\Vert }_1={\max }_{-I\le T\le I}\mathrm{Tr}(XT)$. Each diagonal entry of $T$ in an eigenbasis of $X$ lies between minus one and one, giving the upper bound ${\sum }_i|{\lambda }_i|$. The sign operator of $X$ attains it. The substitution $T=2E-I$ converts this formula to optimization over binary POVM effects and proves the Holevo–Helstrom theorem.

For any orthonormal basis and Hermitian operator, ${\sum }_i|⟨{\psi }_i|X|{\psi }_i⟩|\le \Vert X{\Vert }_1$. In the trace-norm variational principle for Hermitian operators, choose the diagonal $T$ whose entries are the signs of these diagonal entries. This bounds the total distinguishability visible in one fixed measurement basis.