An open problem concerning operator representations of frames

Abstract: Recent research has shown that the properties of overcomplete Gabor frames and frames arising from shift-invariant systems form a precise match with certain conditions that are necessary for a frame in $L^2(\mathbf R)$ to have a representation ${T^k \varphi}_{k=0}^\infty$ for some bounded linear operator $T$ on $L^2(\mathbf R)$ and some $\varphi \in L^2(\mathbf R).$ However, for frames of this type the existence of such a representation has only been confirmed in the case of Riesz bases. This leads to several open questions connecting dynamical sampling, coherent states, frame theory, and operator theory. The key questions can either be considered in the general functional analytic context of operators on a Hilbert space, or in the specific situation of Gabor frames in $L^2(\mathbf R).$