Coefficients of ergodicity and the scrambling index

For a primitive stochastic matrix S, upper bounds on the second largest modulus of an eigenvalue of S are very important, because they determine the asymptotic rate of convergence of the sequence of powers of the corresponding matrix. In this paper, we introduce the definition of the scrambling index for a primitive digraph. The scrambling index of a primitive digraph D is the smallest positive integer k such that for every pair of vertices u and v, there is a vertex w such that we can get to w from u and v in D by directed walks of length k; it is denoted by k(D). We investigate the scrambling index for primitive digraphs, and give an upper bound on the scrambling index of a primitive digraph in terms of the order and the girth of the digraph. By doing so we provide an attainable upper bound on the second largest modulus of eigenvalues of a primitive matrix that make use of the scrambling index.     

Simultaneous solutions of Sylvester equations and idempotent matrices separating the joint spectrum

We investigate simultaneous solutions of the matrix Sylvester equations A_iX-XB_i=C_i,i=1,2,…,k, where {A₁,…,A_k} and {B₁,…,B_k} are k-tuples of commuting matrices of order m×m and p×p, respectively. We show that the matrix Sylvester equations have a unique solution X for every compatible k-tuple of m×p matrices {C₁,…,C_k} if and only if the joint spectra σ(A₁,…,A_k) and σ(B₁,…,B_k) are disjoint. We discuss the connection between the simultaneous solutions of Sylvester equations and related questions about idempotent matrices separating disjoint subsets of the joint spectrum, spectral mapping for the differences of commuting k-tuples, and a characterization of the joint spectrum via simultaneous solutions of systems of linear equations.     

Matrices with maximum kth local exponent in the class of doubly symmetric primitive matrices

Let A be a primitive matrix of order n, and let k be an integer with 1?k?n. The kth local exponent of A, is the smallest power of A for which there are k rows with no zero entry. We have recently obtained the maximum value for the kth local exponent of doubly symmetric primitive matrices of order n with 1?k?n. In this paper, we use the graph theoretical method to give a complete characterization of those doubly symmetric primitive matrices whose kth local exponent actually attain the maximum value.     

The scrambling index of symmetric primitive matrices

A nonnegative square matrix A is primitive if some power A^k>0 (that is, A^k is entrywise positive). The least such k is called the exponent of A. In [2], Akelbek and Kirkland defined the scrambling index of a primitive matrix A, which is the smallest positive integer k such that any two rows of A^k have at least one positive element in a coincident position. In this paper, we give a relation between the scrambling index and the exponent for symmetric primitive matrices, and determine the scrambling index set for the class of symmetric primitive matrices. We also characterize completely the symmetric primitive matrices in this class such that the scrambling index is equal to the maximum value.     

Strong linear preservers of rank reverse permutability on triangular matrices

Let F be a field with ∣F∣ > 2 and T_n(F) be the set of all n × n upper triangular matrices, where n ? 2. Let k ? 2 be a given integer. A k-tuple of matrices A₁, …, A_k ∈ T_n(F) is called rank reverse permutable if rank(A₁ A₂ ? A_k) = rank(A_k A_k−1 ? A₁). We characterize the linear maps on T_n(F) that strongly preserve the set of rank reverse permutable matrix k-tuples.     

The kth lower bases of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs

In [J. Shao, L. You, H. Shan, Bound on the bases of irreducible generalized sign pattern matrices, Linear Algebra Appl. 427 (2007) 285-300], the authors extended the concept of the base from powerful sign pattern matrices to non-powerful irreducible sign pattern matrices. Recently, the kth local bases and the kth upper bases, which are generalizations of the bases, of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs were introduced. In this paper, we introduce a new parameter called the kth lower bases of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs and obtain some bounds for it. For some cases, the bounds we obtain are best possible and the extremal signed digraphs are characterized, respectively. Moreover, we show that there exist “gaps” in the kth lower bases set of primitive non-powerful signed digraphs.     

Required nonzero patterns for nonsingular sign regular matrices

An n×n real matrix is called sign regular if, for each k(1?k?n), all its minors of order k have the same nonstrict sign. The zero entries which can appear in a nonsingular sign regular matrix depend on its signature because the signature can imply that certain entries are necessarily nonzero. The patterns for the required nonzero entries of nonsingular sign regular matrices are analyzed.     

Imbedding conditions for normal matrices

When can an (n-k)×(n-k) normal matrix B be imbedded in an n×n normal matrix A? This question was studied for the first time 50 years ago by Ky Fan and Gordon Pall, who gave the complete answer in the case k=1. Since then, a few authors obtained additional results. In this note, we show how an approach inspired by the Hermitian case can throw some light on the problem.     

Primitive non-powerful symmetric loop-free signed digraphs with given base and minimum number of arcs

In [B.M. Kim, B.C. Song, W. Hwang, Primitive graphs with given exponents and minimum number of edges, Linear Algebra Appl. 420 (2007) 648-662], the minimum number of edges of a simple graph on n vertices with exponent k was determined. In this paper, we completely determine the minimum number, H(n,k), of arcs of primitive non-powerful symmetric loop-free signed digraphs on n vertices with base k, characterize the underlying digraphs which have H(n,k) arcs when k is 2, nearly characterize the case when k is 3 and propose an open problem.     

Subtotally positive and Monge matrices

A real matrix is called k-subtotally positive if the determinants of all its submatrices of order at most k are positive. We show that for an m × n matrix, only mn inequalities determine such class for every k, 1 ? k ? min(m,n). Spectral properties of square k-subtotally positive matrices are studied. Finally, completion problems for 2-subtotally positive matrices and their additive counterpart, the anti-Monge matrices, are investigated. Since totally positive matrices are 2-subtotally positive as well, the presented necessary conditions for this completion problem are also necessary conditions for totally positive matrices.     

The centro-invertible matrix: A new type of matrix arising in pseudo-random number generation

This paper defines a new type of matrix (which will be called a centro-invertible matrix) with the property that the inverse can be found by simply rotating all the elements of the matrix through 180 degrees about the mid-point of the matrix. Centro-invertible matrices have been demonstrated in a previous paper to arise in the analysis of a particular algorithm used for the generation of uniformly-distributed pseudo-random numbers.An involutory matrix is one for which the square of the matrix is equal to the identity. It is shown that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the centro-invertible matrices and the involutory matrices. When working in modular arithmetic this result allows all possible k by k centro-invertible matrices with integer entries modulo M to be enumerated by drawing on existing theoretical results for involutory matrices.Consider the k by k matrices over the integers modulo M. If M takes any specified finite integer value greater than or equal to two then there are only a finite number of such matrices and it is valid to consider the likelihood of such a matrix arising by chance. It is possible to derive both exact expressions and order-of-magnitude estimates for the number of k by k centro-invertible matrices that exist over the integers modulo M. It is shown that order (√N) of the N=M^(k2) different k by k matrices modulo M are centro-invertible, so that the proportion of these matrices that are centro-invertible is order (1/√N).     

Bijective linear maps on semimodules spanned by Boolean matrices of fixed rank

Let M_m,n(B) be the semimodule of all m×n Boolean matrices where B is the Boolean algebra with two elements. Let k be a positive integer such that 2?k?min(m,n). Let B(m,n,k) denote the subsemimodule of M_m,n(B) spanned by the set of all rank k matrices. We show that if T is a bijective linear mapping on B(m,n,k), then there exist permutation matrices P and Q such that T(A)=PAQ for all A∈B(m,n,k) or m=n and T(A)=PA^tQ for all A∈B(m,n,k). This result follows from a more general theorem we prove concerning the structure of linear mappings on B(m,n,k) that preserve both the weight of each matrix and rank one matrices of weight k². Here the weight of a Boolean matrix is the number of its nonzero entries.     

n-Tuples of positive integers with the same second elementary symmetric function value and the same product

In this paper, by using the theory of elliptic curves, we prove that for every k, there exist infinitely many primitive sets of k n-tuples of positive integers with the same second elementary symmetric function value and the same product.     

A general product of tensors with applications

We study a general product of two n  -dimensional tensors A$\mathbb{A}$ and B$\mathbb{B}$ with orders m?2$m?2$ and k?1$k?1$. This product satisfies the associative law, and is a generalization of the usual matrix product. Using this product, many concepts and known results of tensors can be simply expressed and/or proved, and a number of applications of it will be given. Using the associative law of this tensor product and some properties on the resultant of a system of homogeneous equations on n variables, we define the similarity and congruence of tensors (which are also the generalizations of the corresponding relations for matrices), and prove that similar tensors have the same characteristic polynomials, thus the same spectra. We study two special kinds of similarity: permutational similarity and diagonal similarity, and their applications in the study of the spectra of hypergraphs and nonnegative irreducible tensors. We also define the direct product of tensors (in matrix case it is also called the Kronecker product), and give its applications in the study of the spectra of two kinds of the products of hypergraphs. We also give applications of this general product in the study of nonnegative tensors, including a characterization of primitive tensors, the upper bounds of primitive degrees and the cyclic indices of some nonnegative irreducible tensors.     

Partial matrices whose completions have ranks bounded below

A partial matrix over a field F is a matrix whose entries are either elements of F or independent indeterminates. A completion of such a partial matrix is obtained by specifying values from F for the indeterminates. We determine the maximum possible number of indeterminates in a partial m×n matrix whose completions all have rank at least equal to a particular k, and we fully describe those examples in which this maximum is attained. Our main theoretical tool, which is developed in Section 2, is a duality relationship between affine spaces of matrices in which ranks are bounded below and affine spaces of matrices in which the (left or right) nullspaces of elements possess a certain covering property.     

On extremal matrices of second largest exponent by Boolean rank

Let b = b(A) be the Boolean rank of an n × n primitive Boolean matrix A and exp(A) be the exponent of A. Then exp(A) ? (b − 1)² + 2, and the matrices for which equality occurs have been determined in [D.A. Gregory, S.J. Kirkland, N.J. Pullman, A bound on the exponent of a primitive matrix using Boolean rank, Linear Algebra Appl. 217 (1995) 101-116]. In this paper, we show that for each 3 ? b ? n − 1, there are n × n primitive Boolean matrices A with b(A) = b such that exp(A) = (b − 1)² + 1, and we explicitly describe all such matrices.     

On approximately simultaneously diagonalizable matrices

A collection A₁, A₂, …, A_k of n × n matrices over the complex numbers C has the ASD property if the matrices can be perturbed by an arbitrarily small amount so that they become simultaneously diagonalizable. Such a collection must perforce be commuting. We show by a direct matrix proof that the ASD property holds for three commuting matrices when one of them is 2-regular (dimension of eigenspaces is at most 2). Corollaries include results of Gerstenhaber and Neubauer-Sethuraman on bounds for the dimension of the algebra generated by A₁, A₂, …, A_k. Even when the ASD property fails, our techniques can produce a good bound on the dimension of this subalgebra. For example, we establish for commuting matrices A₁, …, A_k when one of them is 2-regular. This bound is sharp. One offshoot of our work is the introduction of a new canonical form, the H-form, for matrices over an algebraically closed field. The H-form of a matrix is a sparse “Jordan like” upper triangular matrix which allows us to assume that any commuting matrices are also upper triangular. (The Jordan form itself does not accommodate this.)     

A bound on the generalized competition index of a primitive matrix using Boolean rank

For a positive integer m where 1?m?n, the m-competition index (generalized competition index) of a primitive digraph is the smallest positive integer k such that for every pair of vertices x and y, there exist m distinct vertices v₁,v₂,…,v_m such that there are directed walks of length k from x to v_i and from y to v_i for 1?i?m. The m-competition index is a generalization of the scrambling index and the exponent of a primitive digraph. In this study, we determine an upper bound on the m-competition index of a primitive digraph using Boolean rank and give examples of primitive Boolean matrices that attain the bound.     

Procrustes problems and associated approximation problems for matrices with k-involutory symmetries

We say that a matrix R∈C^n×n is k-involutary if its minimal polynomial is x^k-1 for some k?2, so R^k-1=R^-1 and the eigenvalues of R are 1,ζ,ζ²,…,ζ^k-1, where ζ=e^2πi/k. Let α,μ∈{0,1,…,k-1}. If R∈C^m×m, A∈C^m×n, S∈C^n×n and R and S are k-involutory, we say that A is (R,S,μ)-symmetric if RAS^-1=ζ^μA, and A is (R,S,α,μ)-symmetric if RAS^-α=ζ^μA.Let L be the class of m×n(R,S,μ)-symmetric matrices or the class of m×n(R,S,α,μ)-symmetric matrices. Given X∈C^n×t and B∈C^m×t, we characterize the matrices A in L that minimize ‖AX-B‖ (Frobenius norm), and, given an arbitrary W∈C^m×n, we find the unique matrix A∈L that minimizes both ‖AX-B‖ and ‖A-W‖. We also obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of A∈L such that AX=B, and, assuming that the conditions are satisfied, characterize the set of all such A.