On the almost-principal minors of a symmetric matrix

DOI10.1016/J.LAA.2020.07.034MaRDI QIDQ2199354zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Shaun M. Fallat, Xavier Martinez-Rivera

Publication date 16 September 2020

Published in Linear Algebra and its Applications (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.07448

zbMATH Keywords

almost-principal minoralmost-principal rankap-rankapr-sequenceranksymmetric matrix

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Vector spaces, linear dependence, rank, lineability (15A03) Determinants, permanents, traces, other special matrix functions (15A15)

Abstract: The almost-principal rank characteristic sequence (apr-sequence) of an $nimesn$ symmetric matrix is introduced, which is defined to be the string $a_1{a}_{2}cdots{a}_{n-1}$, where $a_k$ is either $tA$, $tS$, or $tN$, according as all, some but not all, or none of its almost-principal minors of order $k$ are nonzero. In contrast to the other principal rank characteristic sequences in the literature, the apr-sequence of a matrix does not depend on principal minors. The almost-principal rank of a symmetric matrix $B$, denoted by $maprank(B)$, is defined as the size of a largest nonsingular almost-principal submatrix of $B$. A complete characterization of the sequences not containing an $tA$ that can be realized as the apr-sequence of a symmetric matrix over a field $mathbbF$ is provided. A necessary condition for a sequence to be the apr-sequence of a symmetric matrix over a field $mathbbF$ is presented. It is shown that if $Binmathbb{F}^{nimesn}$ is symmetric and non-diagonal, then $mrank(B)-1leqmaprank(B)leqmrank(B)$, with both bounds being sharp. Moreover, it is shown that if $B$ is symmetric, non-diagonal and singular, and does not contain a zero row, then $mrank(B)=maprank(B)$.

Review text

A square submatrix of a matrix is \emph{almost principal} if it is induced by the rows with indices in a set \(R\) and columns with indices in a set \(C\) satisfying \(|R\setminus C|=|C\setminus R|=1\). An \emph{almost principal minor} is the determinant of an almost principal submatrix. The \emph{almost-principal rank} of a symmetric matrix \(B\), denoted by ap-rank\((B)\), is the order of a largest nonsingular almost-principal submatrix of \(B\). This paper introduces the almost-principal rank characteristic sequence (\emph{apr-sequence}) of an \(n\times n\) symmetric matrix over an arbitrary field. It is defined to be the string \(a_1a_2\cdots a_{n-1}\) in which \(a_k\) is `A', `S', or `N', according to whether all, some but not all, or none of its almost-principal minors of order \(k\) are nonzero. One of the main results is a characterization of the sequences not containing an `A' that can be realized as the apr-sequence of a symmetric matrix. A necessary condition for a sequence containing `A' to be the apr-sequence of a symmetric matrix is given. It is also proved that if \(B\) is symmetric and non-diagonal, then rank\((B)-1\le\)~ap-rank\((B)\le\)~rank\((B)\). Moreover, if \(B\) is symmetric, non-diagonal and singular and does not contain a zero row, then rank\((B) = \)ap-rank\((B)\).

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Cites work

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Cited in

(8)

• The quasi principal rank characteristic sequence
• On the principal minors assignment problem for skew-symmetric matrices
• Hyperdeterminantal relations among symmetric principal minors
• Symmetrization of principal minors and cycle-sums
• A transformation that preserves principal minors of skew-symmetric matrices
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2198001 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 2214023 (Why is no real title available?)
• On the signs of the principal minors of Hermitian matrices

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