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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.10737 |
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| _version_ | 1866915794684739584 |
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| author | Ken, Nikhil |
| author_facet | Ken, Nikhil |
| contents | We study the Hermitian distance degree, a real enumerative invariant counting critical points of the squared Hermitian distance function, for matrix varieties invariant under left and right unitary actions. For such a variety \(M \subset \mathbb{C}^{n\times t}\), we prove that its Hermitian distance degree equals the real Euclidean distance degree of the associated absolutely symmetric variety of singular values. Equivalently, for a generic data matrix, Hermitian distance critical points on \(M\) are obtained by lifting Euclidean distance critical points from the singular-value slice. We also establish a Hermitian slicing theorem, paralleling the Bik--Draisma principle, which reduces the critical point count to a diagonal slice. As a motivating example, we recover a geometric Hermitian analogue of the Eckart-Young theorem. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_10737 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Hermitian Distance Degree of Unitary-Invariant Matrix Varieties Ken, Nikhil Algebraic Geometry 14N10, 14R20 We study the Hermitian distance degree, a real enumerative invariant counting critical points of the squared Hermitian distance function, for matrix varieties invariant under left and right unitary actions. For such a variety \(M \subset \mathbb{C}^{n\times t}\), we prove that its Hermitian distance degree equals the real Euclidean distance degree of the associated absolutely symmetric variety of singular values. Equivalently, for a generic data matrix, Hermitian distance critical points on \(M\) are obtained by lifting Euclidean distance critical points from the singular-value slice. We also establish a Hermitian slicing theorem, paralleling the Bik--Draisma principle, which reduces the critical point count to a diagonal slice. As a motivating example, we recover a geometric Hermitian analogue of the Eckart-Young theorem. |
| title | Hermitian Distance Degree of Unitary-Invariant Matrix Varieties |
| topic | Algebraic Geometry 14N10, 14R20 |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.10737 |