A note on A. Brauer's theorem (Q1316194): Difference between revisions

A frequently quoted theorem of \textit{A. Brauer} [Duke. Math. J. 19, 75-91 (1952; Zbl 0046.012)] states that if \(A = (a_{ij})\) is an \(n \times n\) irreducible matrix then a boundary point \(\lambda\) of the union of the ovals \(| Z - a_{ii} |\;| Z - a_{jj} | \leq R_ i (A) R_ j (A)\), \(i \neq j\), \(i,j = 1,2, \dots,n\), where \(R_ i (A) = \sum_{j \neq i} | a_{ij} |\), can be an eigenvalue of \(A\) only if \(\lambda\) is a boundary point of each of the \(n(n - 1)/2\) ovals. The authors give a counterexample to Brauer's theorem and they prove that, in fact, if \(\lambda\) is a boundary point of the union of all the ovals of Brauer's theorem then \(\lambda\) is a boundary point of each of the ovals if and only if, either \(n = 2\) or \(n > 2\) and \(\lambda\) is a boundary point of each of the discs \(| Z - a_{ii} | \leq R_ i (A)\), \(i = 1, 2, \dots, n\). They show that the circuits of the directed graph \(\Gamma (A)\) must be considered to get a correct version of the Brauer result. They prove that if \(A\) is irreducible, and \(D_{ij}\) denotes the Brauer oval \(| Z - a_{ii} |\;| Z - a_{jj} | \leq R_ i (A) R_ j (A)\), where \(i,j\) are distinct vertices of a circuit \(\gamma\) of \(\Gamma (A)\), then a boundary point \(\lambda\) of the union of the ovals \(D_{ij}\) (where the union is taken over all distinct \(i\), \(j \in \gamma\), for all circuits \(\gamma\) of \(\Gamma (A))\) can be an eigenvalue of \(A\) only if \(\lambda\) is a boundary point of each of these ovals.