Apportionable matrices and gracefully labelled graphs

Abstract

To apportion a complex matrix means to apply a similarity so that all entries of the resulting matrix have the same magnitude. We initiate the study of apportionment, both by unitary matrix similarity and general matrix similarity. There are connections between apportionment and classical graph decomposition problems, including graceful labellings of graphs, Hadamard matrices, and equiangular lines, and potential applications to instantaneous uniform mixing in quantum walks. The connection between apportionment and graceful labellings allows the construction of apportionable matrices from trees. A generalization of the well-known Eigenvalue Interlacing Inequalities using graceful labellings is also presented. It is shown that every rank one matrix can be apportioned by a unitary similarity, but there are 2×2 matrices that cannot be apportioned. A necessary condition for a matrix to be apportioned by unitary matrix is established. This condition is used to construct a set of matrices with nonzero Lebesgue measure that are not apportionable by a unitary matrix.

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