Dynamics of piecewise linear maps and sets of nonnegative matrices

We consider functions $f(v)=\min_{A\in K}{Av}$ and $g(v)=\max_{A\in K}{Av}$, where $K$ is a finite set of nonnegative matrices and by "min" and "max" we mean coordinate-wise minimum and maximum. We transfer known results about properties of $g$ to $f$. In particular we show existence of nonnegative generalized eigenvectors for $f$, give necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of strictly positive eigenvector for $f$, study dynamics of $f$ on the positive cone. We show the existence and construct matrices $A$ and $B$, possibly not in $K$, such that $f^n(v)\sim A^nv$ and $g^n(v)\sim B^nv$ for any strictly positive vector $v$.Comment: 20 page

Hypergraph conditions for the solvability of the ergodic equation for zero-sum games

The ergodic equation is a basic tool in the study of mean-payoff stochastic games. Its solvability entails that the mean payoff is independent of the initial state. Moreover, optimal stationary strategies are readily obtained from its solution. In this paper, we give a general sufficient condition for the solvability of the ergodic equation, for a game with finite state space but arbitrary action spaces. This condition involves a pair of directed hypergraphs depending only on the ``growth at infinity'' of the Shapley operator of the game. This refines a recent result of the authors which only applied to games with bounded payments, as well as earlier nonlinear fixed point results for order preserving maps, involving graph conditions.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, to appear in Proc. 54th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC 2015

Matrix Roots of Eventually Positive Matrices

Eventually positive matrices are real matrices whose powers become and remain strictly positive. As such, eventually positive matrices are a fortiori matrix roots of positive matrices, which motivates us to study the matrix roots of primitive matrices. Using classical matrix function theory and Perron-Frobenius theory, we characterize, classify, and describe in terms of the real Jordan canonical form the $p$th-roots of eventually positive matrices.Comment: Accepted for publication in Linear Algebra and its Application

Substitution Delone Sets

This paper addresses the problem of describing aperiodic discrete structures that have a self-similar or self-affine structure. Substitution Delone set families are families of Delone sets (X_1, ..., X_n) in R^d that satisfy an inflation functional equation under the action of an expanding integer matrix in R^d. This paper studies such functional equation in which each X_i is a discrete multiset (a set whose elements are counted with a finite multiplicity). It gives necessary conditions on the coefficients of the functional equation for discrete solutions to exist. It treats the case where the equation has Delone set solutions. Finally, it gives a large set of examples showing limits to the results obtained.Comment: 34 pages, latex file; some results in Sect 5 rearranged and theorems reformulate