On real algebras generated by positive and nonnegative matrices (Q2228483)

Let \(M_{n}(\mathbb{R})\) be the algebra of \(n\times n\) real matrices. A matrix \(A=[a_{ij}]\in M_{n}(\mathbb{R})\) is called positive (respectively, nonnegative) if all \(a_{ij}>0\) (respectively, \(a_{ij}\geq0\)). Two matrices \(A\) and \(B\) are called semi-commuting if one of the additive commutators \([A,B]\) or \([B,A]\) is nonnegative (see [\textit{R. Drnovšek}, Positivity 22, No. 3, 815--828 (2018; Zbl 1396.15016)]). This paper considers subalgebras \(\mathcal{A}\) of \(M_{n}(\mathbb{R)}\) which are similar to algebras that can be generated by a set of positive matrices. The following claims give a flavour of the results. (Corollary 2.7). If \(\mathcal{A}\) is unital and contains a positive matrix then \(\mathcal{A}\) is positively generated. (Theorem 3.5). If \(\mathcal{A}\) is a unital algebra, then the following are equivalent: (1) \(\mathcal{A}\) is similar to a positively generated algebra; (2) \(\mathcal{A}\) contains a matrix with a simple real eigenvalue; (3) \(\mathcal{A}\) contains an idempotent matrix of rank \(1\); (4) \(\mathcal{A}\) is similar to an algebra in upper triangular block form \[ \left[ \begin{array} [c]{ccc} \mathcal{B}_{1} & \ast & \ast\\ 0 & M_{k}(\mathbb{R)} & \ast\\ 0 & 0 & \mathcal{B}_{2} \end{array} \right] \] where \(k\geq1\) and the \(\mathcal{B}_{i}\) are matrix algebras (one or other may not appear). (Corollary 4.6 and Corollary 4.8). If \(\mathcal{A}\) contains a matrix \(A\) with a real eigenvalue, then the centralizer \(C(A)\) is similar to a nonnegatively generated algebra, and the algebra \(\left\langle A\right\rangle_{\mathrm{Alg}}\) can be generated by a matrix which is similar to a nonnegative matrix. (Theorem 5.1). Every incidence algebra \(\mathcal{A} \subseteq M_{n}(\mathbb{R})\) is generated by two nonnegative semi-commuting matrices. (Theorem 5.2). For each integer \(k\) with \(n\leq k\leq\frac{1}{2}n(n+1)\) there is an incidence algebra contained in \(M_{n}(\mathbb{R})\) of dimension \(k\). The last two theorems answer a question raised in [\textit{M. Kandić} and \textit{K. Šivic}, Linear Algebra Appl. 512, 136--161 (2017; Zbl 1353.15016)].