A multivariable mean equation arising from the spectral geometric mean

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kim, Sejong, Mer, Vatsalkumar N.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916018364874752
author Kim, Sejong
Mer, Vatsalkumar N.
author_facet Kim, Sejong
Mer, Vatsalkumar N.
contents In the 1980s, Kubo and Ando introduced operator means on $\mathbb{P}$, the open convex cone of positive definite operators. One significant example is the weighted geometric mean $$ A \sharp_{t} B = A^{1/2} (A^{-1/2} B A^{-1/2})^{t} A^{1/2}, \qquad A,B \in \mathbb{P}. $$ The Karcher mean serves as a natural multivariable extension of this mean by minimizing the sum of squared Riemannian trace distances of positive definite matrices. It coincides a unique positive definite solution to the Karcher equation, which allows us to define the Karcher mean on $\mathbb{P}$. The weighted spectral geometric mean is defined as another geometric mean of two positive definite operators as follows: $$ A \natural_t B = (A^{-1} \sharp B)^{t} A (A^{-1} \sharp B)^{t}, $$ where $A \sharp B = A \sharp_{1/2} B$. In this paper, we make an initial attempt to formulate a multivariable spectral geometric mean through a nonlinear equation. In the two-variable case, the unique positive definite solution of this equation is precisely the spectral geometric mean. However, in the multi-variable case, the equation need not have a unique solution. We study properties of its solutions and compare them with other least squares means of positive definite matrices. Recently, a new theory of alternative means for positive definite operators has been developed, which includes the spectral geometric mean and the Wasserstein mean. We also consider multivariable equation arising from the alternative means.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_16876
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A multivariable mean equation arising from the spectral geometric mean
Kim, Sejong
Mer, Vatsalkumar N.
Functional Analysis
Primary: 47A63, 47A64, 15B48, secondary: 53C20
In the 1980s, Kubo and Ando introduced operator means on $\mathbb{P}$, the open convex cone of positive definite operators. One significant example is the weighted geometric mean $$ A \sharp_{t} B = A^{1/2} (A^{-1/2} B A^{-1/2})^{t} A^{1/2}, \qquad A,B \in \mathbb{P}. $$ The Karcher mean serves as a natural multivariable extension of this mean by minimizing the sum of squared Riemannian trace distances of positive definite matrices. It coincides a unique positive definite solution to the Karcher equation, which allows us to define the Karcher mean on $\mathbb{P}$. The weighted spectral geometric mean is defined as another geometric mean of two positive definite operators as follows: $$ A \natural_t B = (A^{-1} \sharp B)^{t} A (A^{-1} \sharp B)^{t}, $$ where $A \sharp B = A \sharp_{1/2} B$. In this paper, we make an initial attempt to formulate a multivariable spectral geometric mean through a nonlinear equation. In the two-variable case, the unique positive definite solution of this equation is precisely the spectral geometric mean. However, in the multi-variable case, the equation need not have a unique solution. We study properties of its solutions and compare them with other least squares means of positive definite matrices. Recently, a new theory of alternative means for positive definite operators has been developed, which includes the spectral geometric mean and the Wasserstein mean. We also consider multivariable equation arising from the alternative means.
title A multivariable mean equation arising from the spectral geometric mean
topic Functional Analysis
Primary: 47A63, 47A64, 15B48, secondary: 53C20
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.16876