Linear operators on matrices: The invariance of rank-k matrices (Q5903710)

Let T be a linear operator on the space \(C^{m\times n}\) of all \(m\times n\) complex matrices. T is said a rank-k-preserver if the rank of T(A) is k whenever the rank of A is k. The author proves that there are nonsingular \(m\times m\) and \(n\times n\) matrices U and V, respectively, for a rank-k-preserver T such that either \(T(A)=UAV\) or \(T(A)=UA^ tV\) when \(n=m\).