We present a formula for reducing the rank of Wilson fermions from 4NcNxNyNzNt to 4NcNxNyNz keeping the value of its determinant. We
analyse eigenvalues of a reduced matrix and coefficients Cn in the fugacity
expansion of the fermion determinant ∑nCn(exp(μ/T))n, which play
an important role in the canonical formulation, using lattice QCD
configurations on a 44 lattice. Numerically, log∣Cn∣ varies as NxNyNz, and goes easily over the standard numerical range; We give a simple cure
for that. The phase of Cn correlates with the distribution of the Polyakov
loop in the complex plain. These results lay the groundwork for future finite
density calculations in lattice QCD.Comment: 20 pages, 2 tables, 32 figure