Minimal forbidden-minor conjecture for the sign pattern s∗s_*

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Let Σ∈PR⁡5\Sigma \in \operatorname{PR}_5 be a real symmetric matrix whose principal-minor sign pattern signs⁡Σ\operatorname{signs}_\Sigma agrees with s∗s_* on all subsets of sizes 11 and 33. Minimal forbidden-minor conjecture. Then

det⁡Σ<0.\det \Sigma < 0.

In particular, s∗s_* is not representable. The preceding reductions show that representability can be tested using a polynomial system with ten variables, ten sign constraints on order-three principal minors, and the positivity of the determinant, but neither a representation nor a proof of nonrepresentability is currently known.

References

Primary source

Tobias Boege, Jesse Selover and Maksym Zubkov, “Sign patterns of principal minors of real symmetric matrices”, arXiv:2407.17826 (2025).

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