On matrices in prescribed conjugacy classes with no common invariant subspace and sum zero

Abstract

We determine those $k$-tuples of conjugacy classes of matrices from which it is possible to choose matrices that have no common invariant subspace and have sum zero. This is an additive version of the Deligne-Simpson problem. We deduce the result from earlier work of ours on preprojective algebras and the moment map for representations of quivers. Our answer depends on the root system for a Kac-Moody Lie algebra.