On zero-pattern invariant properties of structured matrices

It is interesting that inverse M-matrices are zero-pattern (power) invariant. The main contribution of the present work is that we characterize some structured matrices that are zero-pattern (power) invariant. Consequently, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions for these structured matrices to be inverse M-matrices. In particular, to check if a given circulant or symmetric Toeplitz matrix is an inverse M-matrix, we only need to consider its pattern structure and verify that one of its principal submatrices is an inverse M-matrix.     

Monotone positive stable matrices

The class of real matrices which are both monotone (inverse positive) and positive stable is investigated. Such matrices, called N-matrices, have the well-known class of nonsingular M-matrices as a proper subset. Relationships between the classes of N-matrices, M-matrices, nonsingular totally nonnegative matrices, and oscillatory matrices are developed. Conditions are given for some classes of matrices, including tridiagonal and some Toeplitz matrices, to be N-matrices.     

Inverse M-matrices

This is an attempt at a comprehensive expository study of those nonnegative matrices which happen to be inverses of M-matrices and is aimed at an audience conversant with basic ideas of matrix theory. A theme is the parallels (anddifferences) between the class of M-matrices and the class of inverse M-matrices. Among the primary tools used are diagonal multiplications, the Neumann expansion, and the form of the inverse of a partitioned matrix. Some of the results seem not to have appeared before, and several unsolved problems are mentioned.     

Characterizations of inverse M-matrices with special zero patterns

In this paper, we provide some characterizations of inverse M-matrices with special zero patterns. In particular, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for k-diagonal matrices and symmetric k-diagonal matrices to be inverse M-matrices. In addition, results for triadic matrices, tridiagonal matrices and symmetric 5-diagonal matrices are presented as corollaries.     

On the inverse M-matrix problem for (0,1)-matrices

A graph-theoretic approach is used to characterize (0,1)-matrices which are inverses of M-matrices. Our main results show that a (0,1)-matrix is an inverse of an M-matrix if and only if its graph induces a partial order on its set of vertices and does not contain a certain specific subgraph.     

The inverse positivity of perturbed tridiagonal M-matrices

A well-known property of an M-matrix M is that the inverse is element-wise non-negative, which we write as M^-1?0. In this paper, we consider element-wise perturbations of non-symmetric tridiagonal M-matrices and obtain sufficient bounds on the perturbations so that the non-negative inverse persists. These bounds improve the bounds recently given by Kennedy and Haynes [Inverse positivity of perturbed tridiagonal M-matrices, Linear Algebra Appl. 430 (2009) 2312-2323]. In particular, when perturbing the second diagonals (elements (l,l+2) and (l,l-2)) of M, these sufficient bounds are shown to be the actual maximum allowable perturbations. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our estimates.     

Additive representation of symmetric inverse M-matrices and potentials

In this article we characterize the closed cones respectively generated by the symmetric inverse M-matrices and by the inverses of symmetric row diagonally dominant M-matrices. We show the latter has a finite number of extremal rays, while the former has infinitely many extremal rays. As a consequence we prove that every potential is the sum of ultrametric matrices.     

Bounds for the infinity norm of the inverse for certain M- and H-matrices

The paper presents new two-sided bounds for the infinity norm of the inverse for the so-called PM-matrices, which form a subclass of the class of nonsingular M-matrices and contain the class of strictly diagonally dominant matrices. These bounds are shown to be monotone with respect to the underlying partitioning of the index set, and the equality cases are analyzed. Also an upper bound for the infinity norm of the inverse of a PH-matrix (whose comparison matrix is a PM-matrix) is derived. The known Ostrowski, Ahlberg–Nilson–Varah, and Mora?a bounds are shown to be special cases of the upper bound obtained.     

Nonnegative matrices with power invariant zero patterns

If A is a nonsingular M-matrix, the elements of the sequence {A^?k} all have the same zero pattern. Using the Drazin inverse, we show that a similar zero pattern invariance property holds for a class of matrices which is larger than the generalized M-matrices.     

Tridiagonal and upper triangular inverse M-matrices

In this paper we characterize the nonnegative nonsingular tridiagonal matrices belonging to the class of inverse M-matrices. We give a geometric equivalence for a nonnegative nonsingular upper triangular matrix to be in this class. This equivalence is extended to include some reducible matrices.     

Classes of general H-matrices

Let M(A) denote the comparison matrix of a square H-matrix A, that is, M(A) is an M-matrix. H-matrices such that their comparison matrices are nonsingular are well studied in the literature. In this paper, we study characterizations of H-matrices with either singular or nonsingular comparison matrices. The spectral radius of the Jacobi matrix of M(A) and the generalized diagonal dominance property are used in the characterizations. Finally, a classification of the set of general H-matrices is obtained.     

Inverse NO-matrices

Results similar to those of Thomas L. Markham concerning inverse M-matrices are shown to hold for inverse N_Omatrices. A more general result and an alternate method of proof using Schur complements are given for one of Markham's theorems. Conditions are given to transform a nonpositive matrix to an N_O-amtrix by multiplication by Householder transformations. Also, an LU factorization of an inverse N_O-matrix is given.     

Generalizations of M-matrices which may not have a nonnegative inverse

Generalizations of M-matrices are studied, including the new class of GM-matrices. The matrices studied are of the form sI-B with B having the Perron-Frobenius property, but not necessarily being nonnegative. Results for these classes of matrices are shown, which are analogous to those known for M-matrices. Also, various splittings of a GM-matrix are studied along with conditions for their convergence.     

Nonnegativity of principal minors of generalized inverses of P0-matrices

We derive a necessary and sufficient condition under which a reflexive generalized inverse of a singular P₀-matrix is again a P₀-matrix. Simpler conditions are obtained when the rank of the matrix is n?1, where n is the order of the matrix. We then consider the application of these results to singular M-matrices of order n and rank n?1. In particular, for this case we prove that the Moore-Penrose inverse is a P₀-matrix.     

Q-matrices and spherical geometry

A real n × n matrix M is a Q-matrix if the linear complementarity problem w ? Mz=q, w ? 0, z ? 0, w^tz=0 has a solution for all real n-vectors q. M is nondegenerate if all its principal minors are nonzero. Spherical geometry is applied to the problem of characterizing nondegenerate Q-matrices. The stability of 3 × 3 nondegenerate Q-matrices and a generalization of the partitioning property of P-matrices are rather easily proved using spherical geometry. It is also proved that the set of 4 × 4 nondegenerate Q-matrices is not open.     

Generalized inverse-positivity and splittings of M-matrices

The concepts of matrix monotonicity, generalized inverse-positivity and splittings are investigated and are used to characterize the class of all M-matrices A, extending the well-known property that A^?1?0 whenever A is nonsingular. These conditions are grouped into classes in order to identify those that are equivalent for arbitrary real matrices A. It is shown how the nonnegativity of a generalized left inverse of A plays a fundamental role in such characterizations, thereby extending recent work by one of the authors, by Meyer and Stadelmaier and by Rothblum. In addition, new characterizations are provided for the class of M-matrices with “property c”; that is, matrices A having a representation A=sI?B, s>0, B?0, where the powers of $\text{(}\text{1}\text{s}\text{)B}$ converge. Applications of these results to the study of iterative methods for solving arbitrary systems of linear equations are given elsewhere.     

On the LU decomposition of V-matrices

We show that the class of V-matrices, introduced by Mehrmann [6], which contains the M-matrices and the Hermitian positive semidefinite matrices, is invariant under Gaussian elimination.     

Characterization of symmetric M-matrices as resistive inverses

We aim here at characterizing those nonnegative matrices whose inverse is an irreducible Stieltjes matrix. Specifically, we prove that any irreducible Stieltjes matrix is a resistive inverse. To do this we consider the network defined by the off-diagonal entries of the matrix and we identify the matrix with a positive definite Schrödinger operator whose ground state is determined by the lowest eigenvalue of the matrix and the corresponding positive eigenvector. We also analyze the case in which the operator is positive semidefinite which corresponds to the study of singular irreducible symmetric M-matrices.     

A characterization of convertible (0, 1)-matrices

We characterize those (0, 1)-matrices M whose elements can be given plus or minus signs so as to yield a matrix M′ for which det M′ = perm M.