The Binet-Cauchy functional equation and nonsingular multiindexed matrices (Q923658)

Let K be a field of characteristic 0, let \(A\in M_{nm}(K)\) and \(B\in M_{mn}(K)\) be rectangular matrices, \(n\leq m\), then a multiplication formula \[ (BC)\quad f(AB)=\frac{1}{n!}\sum_{| s| =n}(\frac{n!}{s_ 1!...s_ 1!})f(A^ s)f(B_ s) \] is valid both for the determinant and the permanent function, where \(s=(s_ 1,...,s_ n)\) is an n-tuple of nonnegative integers such that \(| s| =s_ 1+...+s_ n=n\), \(A^ s\) is the \(n\times n\)-matrix consisting of \(s_ i\) columns equal to the i-th column of A, and \(B_ s\) consists of \(s_ i\) rows of B, \(i=1,...,n.\) The first author, \textit{L. J. Cummings} and \textit{K. P. S. Bhaskara-Rao} [ibid. 101, 49-72 (1988; Zbl 0645.15005)] proved that if f: \(M_ n(K)\to K\) satisfies (BC) and f(E)\(\neq 0\) when all entries of E equal 1/n, then \(f=\phi \circ per\) for some \(\phi\in Aut(K)\). \textit{S. Kurepa} [Glas. Mat.-Fiz. Astron. 14, 97-113 (1959; M.R. 22{\#}3745)] proved that (BC), \(s_ i\in \{0,1\}\), \(n\leq m\leq n+1\) imply \(f=\phi \circ \det.\) In this paper it is shown that (BC), \(f(E)=0\), \(m=n+1\) imply \(f=\phi \circ \det\).