Orthogonal Representations, Projective Rank, and Fractional Minimum Positive Semidefinite Rank: Connections and New Directions

Abstract

Fractional minimum positive semidefinite rank is defined from $r$-fold faithful orthogonal representations and it is shown that the projective rank of any graph equals the fractional minimum positive semidefinite rank of its complement. An $r$-fold version of the traditional definition of minimum positive semidefinite rank of a graph using Hermitian matrices that fit the graph is also presented. This paper also introduces $r$-fold orthogonal representations of graphs and formalizes the understanding of projective rank as fractional orthogonal rank. Connections of these concepts to quantum theory, including Tsirelson's problem, are discussed.