Polynomials with and without determinantal representations

The problem of writing real zero polynomials as determinants of linear matrix polynomials has recently attracted a lot of attention. Helton and Vinnikov 9] have proved that any real zero polynomial in two variables has a determinantal representation. Brändén 2] has shown that the result does not extend to arbitrary numbers of variables, disproving the generalized Lax conjecture. We prove that in fact almost no real zero polynomial admits a determinantal representation; there are dimensional differences between the two sets. The result follows from a general upper bound on the size of linear matrix polynomials. We then provide a large class of surprisingly simple explicit real zero polynomials that do not have a determinantal representation. We finally characterize polynomials of which some power has a determinantal representation, in terms of an algebra with involution having a finite dimensional representation. We use the characterization to prove that any quadratic real zero polynomial has a determinantal representation, after taking a high enough power. Taking powers is thereby really necessary in general. The representations emerge explicitly, and we characterize them up to unitary equivalence.