Symmetry decomposition and matrix multiplication

Abstract

General matrices can be split uniquely into Frobenius-orthogonal components: a constant row and column sum (type S) part, a vertex cross sum (type V) part and a weight part. We show that for square matrices, the type S part can be expressed as a sum of squares of type V matrices. We investigate the properties of such decomposition under matrix multiplication, in particular how the pseudoinverses of a matrix relate to the pseudoinverses of its component parts. For invertible matrices, this yields an expression for the inverse where only the type S part needs to be (pseudo)inverted; in the example of the Wilson matrix, this component is considerably better conditioned than the whole matrix. We also show a relation between matrix determinants and the weight of their matrix inverses and give a simple proof for Frobenius-optimal approximations with the constant row and column sum and the vertex cross sum properties, respectively, to a given matrix.