The copositive completion problem (Q2568369)

An \(n\times n\) real symmetric matrix \(A\) is called (strictly) copositive if \(x^TAx\geq 0\) \((>0)\) for all \(x\geq 0\) (\(x> 0\) and \(x\neq 0\)). Copositive matrices arise in a number of ways (e.g. they constitute the cone theoretic dual of completely positive matrices) and have received notable study. A partial matrix is one in which only some entries are specified, the rest remaining free to be chosen. The (strictly) copositive matrix completion problem asks which symmetric partial matrices can be completed to (strictly) copositive matrices. The authors solve this problem and show that the solution is rather like the combinatorially symmetric \(P\)-matrix completion problem and not all like the positive (semi-) definite completion problem. Finally, the authors answer affirmatively an open question raised by \textit{W. Kaplan} [ibid. 337, No. 1--3, 237--251 (2001; Zbl 0999.15027)], whether a copositive matrix with all diagonal entries equal to 1 stays copositive if each offdiagonal entry greater than 1 is replaced by 1.