Linear operators that preserve maximal column rank of boolean matrices^*

Abstract

This paper concerns two notions of column rank of matrices over semirings; column rank and maximal column rank. These two notions are the same over fields but differ for matrices over certain semirings. We determine how much the maximal column rank is different from the column ran for all m×n matrices over many semirings. We also characterize the linear operators which preserve the maximal column rank of Boolean matrices.