On discriminant matrices (Q725528)

Let \(A\) be a real or complex \(n\times n\) matrix. Let \(A^{(k)}\) and \(A^{[k]}\) denote its compound matrix and additive compound, respectively. The discriminant of \(A\) is the \({{n}\choose{2}}\times{{n}\choose{2}}\) matrix \(D(A)\), defined by \[ D(A)=(A^{[2]})^2-4A^{(2)}. \] Let \(J_t\) denote the \(t\times t\) Jordan block with eigenvalue 0. The authors prove that the Jordan form of \(D(J_n)\) is \[ J_1\oplus J_2\oplus\dots\oplus J_{n-1}. \]