Gangster operators and invincibility of positive semidefinite matrices (Q603139)

It is not always true that after replacing in a positive semidefinite (\(psd\)) matrix \(A\) an opposite pair of entries by zero the matrix stays \(psd\). Call this operation of replacement a gangster operation (shooting holes in the matrix). In this paper properties of this operation are studied. This is one such problem: A \(psd\) matrix is called fully invincible if all gangster operations lead to \(psd\) matrices. This property is characterized. This has to do with M-matrices and comparison matrices.