On eigenvalues of rectangular matrices

Abstract

Given a $(k+1)$-tuple $A, B_1,...,B_k$ of $(m\times n)$-matrices with $m\le n$ we call the set of all $k$-tuples of complex numbers $\{\la_1,...,\la_k\}$ such that the linear combination $A+\la_1B_1+\la_2B_2+...+\la_kB_k$ has rank smaller than $m$ the {\it eigenvalue locus} of the latter pencil. Motivated primarily by applications to multi-parameter generalizations of the Heine-Stieltjes spectral problem, see \cite{He} and \cite{Vol}, we study a number of properties of the eigenvalue locus in the most important case $k=n-m+1$.