The enhanced principal rank characteristic sequence over a field of characteristic 2

TL;DR

This paper characterizes the possible enhanced principal rank characteristic sequences of symmetric matrices over fields of characteristic 2, revealing unique structural properties specific to such fields.

Contribution

It provides a complete characterization of attainable epr-sequences over ield of characteristic 2, highlighting differences from characteristic zero fields.

Findings

Attainable epr-sequences over ield of characteristic 2 have special structures.

Complete characterization of epr-sequences over ield of characteristic 2.

Restrictions on attainable epr-sequences over general fields of characteristic 2.

Abstract

The enhanced principal rank characteristic sequence (epr-sequence) of an $n \times n$ symmetric matrix over a field $\mathbb{F}$ was recently defined as $\ell_1 \ell_2 \cdots \ell_n$, where $\ell_k$ is either $\tt A$, $\tt S$, or $\tt N$ based on whether all, some (but not all), or none of the order-$k$ principal minors of the matrix are nonzero. Here, a complete characterization of the epr-sequences that are attainable by symmetric matrices over the field $\mathbb{Z}_2$, the integers modulo $2$, is established. Contrary to the attainable epr-sequences over a field of characteristic $0$, our characterization reveals that the attainable epr-sequences over $\mathbb{Z}_2$ possess very special structures. For more general fields of characteristic $2$, some restrictions on attainable epr-sequences are obtained.