Quaternionic matrices: Unitary similarity, simultaneous triangularization and some trace identities

We construct six unitary trace invariants for 2×2 quaternionic matrices which separate the unitary similarity classes of such matrices, and show that this set is minimal. We have discovered a curious trace identity for two unit-speed one-parameter subgroups of Sp(1). A modification gives an infinite family of trace identities for quaternions as well as for 2×2 complex matrices. We were not able to locate these identities in the literature. We prove two quaternionic versions of a well known characterization of triangularizable subalgebras of matrix algebras over an algebraically closed field. Finally we consider the problem of describing the semi-algebraic set of pairs (X,Y) of quaternionic n×n matrices which are simultaneously triangularizable. Even the case n=2, which we analyze in more detail, remains unsolved.     

Linear relations of refined enumerations of alternating sign matrices

In recent papers we have studied refined enumerations of alternating sign matrices with respect to a fixed set of top and bottom rows. The present paper is a first step towards extending these considerations to alternating sign matrices where in addition some left and right columns are fixed. The main result is a simple linear relation between the number of n×n alternating sign matrices where the top row as well as the left and the right column is fixed and the number of n×n alternating sign matrices where the two top rows and the bottom row are fixed. This may be seen as a first indication for the fact that the refined enumerations of alternating sign matrices with respect to a fixed set of top and bottom rows as well as left and right columns can possibly be reduced to the refined enumerations where only some top and bottom rows are fixed. For the latter numbers we provide a system of linear equations that conjecturally determines them uniquely.     

On the finiteness property for rational matrices

We analyze the periodicity of optimal long products of matrices. A set of matrices is said to have the finiteness property if the maximal rate of growth of long products of matrices taken from the set can be obtained by a periodic product. It was conjectured a decade ago that all finite sets of real matrices have the finiteness property. This “finiteness conjecture” is now known to be false but no explicit counterexample is available and in particular it is unclear if a counterexample is possible whose matrices have rational or binary entries. In this paper, we prove that all finite sets of nonnegative rational matrices have the finiteness property if and only if pairs of binary matrices do and we state a similar result when negative entries are allowed. We also show that all pairs of 2×2 binary matrices have the finiteness property. These results have direct implications for the stability problem for sets of matrices. Stability is algorithmically decidable for sets of matrices that have the finiteness property and so it follows from our results that if all pairs of binary matrices have the finiteness property then stability is decidable for nonnegative rational matrices. This would be in sharp contrast with the fact that the related problem of boundedness is known to be undecidable for sets of nonnegative rational matrices.     

Natural density of rectangular unimodular integer matrices

In this paper, we compute the natural density of the set of k×n integer matrices that can be extended to an invertible n×n matrix over the integers. As a corollary, we find the density of rectangular matrices with Hermite normal form . Connections with Cesàro’s Theorem on the density of coprime integers and Quillen-Suslin’s Theorem are also presented.     

The base sets of quasi-primitive zero-symmetric sign pattern matrices with zero trace

Cheng and Liu [Bo Cheng, Bolian Liu, The base sets of primitive zero-symmetric sign pattern matrices, Linear Algebra Appl. 428 (2008) 715-731] showed that the base set of quasi-primitive zero-symmetric (generalized) sign pattern matrices is {1,2,…,2n}. The matrices with zero trace play a prominent role in matrix theory. In this paper, we investigate the bases of quasi-primitive zero-symmetric (generalized) sign pattern matrices with zero trace and prove that the base set of such matrices is {2,3,…,2n-1}.     

Factorization of singular integer matrices

It is well known that a singular integer matrix can be factorized into a product of integer idempotent matrices. In this paper, we prove that every n  × n (n > 2) singular integer matrix can be written as a product of 3n + 1 integer idempotent matrices. This theorem has some application in the field of synthesizing VLSI arrays and systolic arrays.     

Maximum order-index of matrices over commutative inclines: an answer to an open problem

This paper proves that the maximum order-index of n × n matrices over an arbitrary commutative incline equals (n − 1)² + 1. This is an answer to an open problem “Compute the maximum order-index of a member of M_n(L)”, proposed by Cao, Kim and Roush in a monograph Incline Algebra and Applications, 1984, where M_n(L) is the set of all n × n matrices over an incline L.     

2-Adic valuations of certain ratios of products of factorials and applications

We prove the conjecture of Falikman-Friedland-Loewy on the parity of the degrees of projective varieties of n×n complex symmetric matrices of rank at most k. We also characterize the parity of the degrees of projective varieties of n×n complex skew symmetric matrices of rank at most 2p. We give recursive relations which determine the parity of the degrees of projective varieties of m×n complex matrices of rank at most k. In the case the degrees of these varieties are odd, we characterize the minimal dimensions of subspaces of n×n skew symmetric real matrices and of m×n real matrices containing a nonzero matrix of rank at most k. The parity questions studied here are also of combinatorial interest since they concern the parity of the number of plane partitions contained in a given box, on the one hand, and the parity of the number of symplectic tableaux of rectangular shape, on the other hand.     

Singularity conditions for the non-existence of a common quadratic Lyapunov function for pairs of third order linear time invariant dynamic systems

The condition that a finite collection of stable matrices {A₁, … , A_M} has no common quadratic Lyapunov function (CQLF) is formulated as a hierarchy of singularity conditions for block matrices involving a number of unknown parameters. These conditions are applied to the case of two stable 3 × 3 matrices, where they are used to derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the non-existence of a CQLF.     

On the dimension of some real spaces of bounded rank matrices

Given n∈N, let X be either the set of hermitian or real n×n matrices of rank at least n-1. If n is even, we give a sharp estimate on the maximal dimension of a real vector space V⊂X∪{0}. The results are obtained, via K-theory, by studying a bundle map induced by the adjunction of matrices.     

Canonical form of m-by-2-by-2 matrices over a field of characteristic other than two

We give a canonical form of m × 2 × 2 matrices for equivalence over any field of characteristic not two.     

On Criteria for Closedness of an Attainable Set of a Discrete Neutral Control System

This paper deals with the closedness of the attainable set in the function space W⁽¹⁾₂ × L₂ of a linear neutral system with commensurate delays in state and control. Necessary and sufficient algebraic criteria expressed in terms of the system matrices for the closedness are derived. By the additional restriction that the control is a scalar control, another criterion for closedness, based on the transfer matrix, is indicated and used to verify the results.     

Projective lines over Jordan systems and geometry of Hermitian matrices

Any set of σ-Hermitian matrices of size n×n over a field with involution σ gives rise to a projective line in the sense of ring geometry and a projective space in the sense of matrix geometry. It is shown that the two concepts are based upon the same set of points, up to some notational differences.     

On the fast reduction of a quasiseparable matrix to Hessenberg and tridiagonal forms

In this paper we design a fast new algorithm for reducing an N × N quasiseparable matrix to upper Hessenberg form via a sequence of N − 2 unitary transformations. The new reduction is especially useful when it is followed by the QR algorithm to obtain a complete set of eigenvalues of the original matrix. In particular, it is shown that in a number of cases some recently devised fast adaptations of the QR method for quasiseparable matrices can benefit from using the proposed reduction as a preprocessing step, yielding lower cost and a simplification of implementation.     

Real rank versus nonnegative rank

We consider the set of m×n nonnegative real matrices and define the nonnegative rank of a matrix A to be the minimum k such that A=BC where B is m×k and C is k×n. Given that the real rank of A is j for some j, we give bounds on the nonnegative rank of A and A².     

Some properties of generalized K-centrosymmetric H-matrices

Every n×n$n\times n$ generalized K-centrosymmetric matrix A   can be reduced into a 2×2$2\times 2$ block diagonal matrix (see [Z. Liu, H. Cao, H. Chen, A note on computing matrix–vector products with generalized centrosymmetric (centrohermitian) matrices, Appl. Math. Comput. 169 (2) (2005) 1332–1345]). This block diagonal matrix is called the reduced form of the matrix A. In this paper we further investigate some properties of the reduced form of these matrices and discuss the square roots of these matrices. Finally exploiting these properties, the development of structure-preserving algorithms for certain computations for generalized K-centrosymmetric H-matrices is discussed.     

Preservers of eigenvalue inclusion sets of matrix products

For a square matrix A, let S(A) be an eigenvalue inclusion set such as the Gershgorin region, the union of Cassini ovals, and the Ostrowski’s set. Characterization is obtained for maps Φ on n×n matrices satisfying S(Φ(A)Φ(B))=S(AB) for all matrices A and B.     

Symmetry transformations for square sliced three-way arrays, with applications to their typical rank

The typical 3-tensorial rank has been much studied over algebraically closed fields, but very little has been achieved in the way of results pertaining to the real field. The present paper examines the typical 3-tensorial rank over the real field, when the slices of the array involved are square matrices. The typical rank of 3 × 3 × 3 arrays is shown to be five. The typical rank of p × q × q arrays is shown to be larger than q + 1 unless there are only two slices (p = 2), or there are three slices of order 2 × 2 (p = 3 and q = 2). The key result is that when the rank is q + 1, there usually exists a rank-preserving transformation of the array to one with symmetric slices.     

Some issues on interpolation matrices of locally scaled radial basis functions

Radial basis function interpolation on a set of scattered data is constructed from the corresponding translates of a basis function, which is conditionally positive definite of order m ? 0, with the possible addition of a polynomial term. In many applications, the translates of a basis function are scaled differently, in order to match the local features of the data such as the flat region and the data density. Then, a fundamental question is the non-singularity of the perturbed interpolation (N × N) matrix. In this paper, we provide some counter examples of the matrices which become singular for N ? 3, although the matrix is always non-singular when N = 2. One interesting feature is that a perturbed matrix can be singular with rather small perturbation of the scaling parameter.