Generic matrix polynomials with fixed rank and fixed degree
Provides a foundational geometric and algebraic description of matrix polynomial spaces for mathematicians working in linear algebra and polynomial systems.
The paper characterizes the closure of the set of complex matrix polynomials with fixed grade and bounded rank, showing it decomposes into closures of specific eigenstructure sets for rank less than full, and equals a single closure for full rectangular rank.
The set ${\cal P}^{m\times n}_{r,d}$ of $m \times n$ complex matrix polynomials of grade $d$ and (normal) rank at most $r$ in a complex $(d+1)mn$ dimensional space is studied. For $r = 1, \dots , \min \{m, n\}-1$, we show that ${\cal P}^{m\times n}_{r,d}$ is the union of the closures of the $rd+1$ sets of matrix polynomials with rank $r$, degree exactly $d$, and explicitly described complete eigenstructures. In addition, for the full-rank rectangular polynomials, i.e. $r= \min \{m, n\}$ and $m \neq n$, we show that ${\cal P}^{m\times n}_{r,d}$ coincides with the closure of a single set of the polynomials with rank $r$, degree exactly $d$, and the described complete eigenstructure. These complete eigenstructures correspond to generic $m \times n$ matrix polynomials of grade $d$ and rank at most~$r$.