On the Spectra of Striped Sign Patterns

Abstract

Abstract Sign patterns consisting of some positive and some negative columns, with at least one of each kind, are shown to allow any self-conjugate spectrum, and thus to allow any inertia. In the case of the n × n sign pattern with all columns positive, given any self-conjugate multiset consisting of n m 1 complex numbers supplemented by a sufficiently large positive number, it is shown how to construct a positive normal matrix whose spectrum is this multiset. Thus, the positive sign pattern allows any inertia with at least one positive eigenvalue. Keywords: SpectrumNonnegative MatrixSign PatternSoules MatrixInertia