On the nullspace, the rangespace and the characteristic polynomial of Euclidean distance matrices (Q2494668)

A Euclidean distance matrix (EDM) is a real \(n\times n\) matrix \(D=(d_{ij})\) such that there exist \(n\) distinct points \(p_1,p_2,\dots,p_n\) in Euclidean \(r\)-space with \(d_{ij}\) being the distance between \(p_i\) and \(p_j\). The author presents a characterisation of the kernel and the image of a EDM \(D\). The result is stated in terms of the Gale subspace corresponding to \(D\), i.~e.\ the kernel of the matrix which arises from the \(r\times n\) matrix \((p_1,p_2,\dots,p_r)\) by augmenting an extra row \((1,1,\dots,1)\) at its bottom. This allows then to compute the characteristic polynomial of \(D\). Special attention is paid to the cases when \(D\) arises from a so-called regular figure or a set of points which is centrally symmetric with respect to the origin.