A trace inequality for M-matrices and the symmetrizability of a real matrix by a positive diagonal matrix (Q1078634)

A matrix is said to be PDS if it is symmetrizable via multiplication by a diagonal matrix with positive diagonal entries. The authors show how the question of whether a general real matrix is PDS may be reduced to the question of whether a nonsingular M-matrix is PDS. Let A be a nonsingular M-matrix of order n. The principal result of the paper is that tr (A\({}^{-1}A^ T)\leq n\), with equality if and only if A is symmetric. From this it follows that the minimum real eigenvalue of the Hadamard product \(A^{-1}\circ A\) is less than or equal to 1, with equality holding for irreducible A if and only if A is PDS.