Inversion of the Multiplicative Matrix Compound Operator

Abstract

We study the problem of determining a matrix whose $k$th multiplicative compound is a prescribed matrix~$M$. The cardinality of the set of matrices whose $k$th multiplicative compound equals~$M$ is characterized in terms of $\rank(M)$. On the one hand, if $\rank(M)\le 1$, it is shown that there exist infinitely many such matrices for which a complete characterization is determined. On the other hand, if $\rank(M)>1$, then there exists a unique matrix -- up to an overall sign -- whose compound is~$M$. An algorithm for finding a matrix whose compound equals~$M$ is detailed, and its time complexity is analyzed.