Block LU factorizations of M–matrices

Summary. It is well known that any nonsingular M–matrix admits an LU factorization into M–matrices (with L and U lower and upper triangular respectively) and any singular M–matrix is permutation similar to an M–matrix which admits an LU factorization into M–matrices. Varga and Cai establish necessary and sufficient conditions for a singular M–matrix (without permutation) to allow an LU factorization with L nonsingular. We generalize these results in two directions. First, we find necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of an LU factorization of a singular M-matrix where L and U are both permitted to be singular. Second, we establish the minimal block structure that a block LU factorization of a singular M–matrix can have when L and U are M–matrices. Received November 21, 1994 / Revised version received August 4, 1997