Sign pattern matrices that admit \(M\)-, \(N\)-, \(P\)- or inverse \(M\)-matrices (Q1030735)

A matrix whose entries are chosen from the set \(\{+,-,0\}\) is called a sign pattern matrix. For an \(n\times m\) sign pattern matrix \(P\), we define the sign pattern class \(C(P)\) by \[ C(P)=\{A\in\mathbb{R}^{n\times m}\mid \text{sign}(A)=P\}, \] where \(\text{sign}(A)\) is the sign pattern matrix obtained from \(A\) by replacing each one of its positive entries by + and each one of its negative entries by \(-\). If \({\mathcal P}\) is a certain property referring to real matrices then a sign pattern matrix \(P\) is said to allow that property \({\mathcal P}\) if some real matrix in \(C(P)\) has the property \({\mathcal P}\). The paper considers certain classes of real matrices, namely the class of \(N\)-matrices, the class of \(P\)-matrices, the class of \(M\)-matrices and the class of inverse \(M\)-matrices. An \(n\times n\) real matrix \(A\) is called an \(N\)-matrix (respectively a \(P\)-matrix) if all its principal minors are negative (respectively positive). A matrix \(A\) is called an \(M\)-matrix if \(A\in Z_n\) (where \(Z_n\) denotes the set of all square real matrices of order \(n\) whose off-diagonal entries are non-positive) and \(A\) is positive stable. A nonsingular matrix \(A\) is said to be an inverse \(M\)-matrix if \(A^{-1}\) is an \(M\)-matrix. The authors focus on the question which sign pattern matrices allow the property of belonging to the class of \(N\)-matrices (respectively, \(P\)-matrices, \(M\)-matrices) and identify these sign pattern matrices. They also address the class of inverse \(M\)-matrices and the related admissibility of sign pattern matrices problem.