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Let $A$ be a $m\times n_1$ matrix, $B$ a $m\times n_2$ matrix and $C=[A B]$ the $m\times(n_1+n_2)$ matrix obtained by concatenating the columns of $A$ and $B$.

I have observed numerically for thousands of examples (taking $A$ and $B$ to be Gaussian random matrices) that, if $m> (n_1+n_2)$, then $\sigma_1(C)<{\rm min}(\sigma_1(A),\sigma_1(B))$ where $\sigma_1$ is the smallest singular value.

Can this be proved?

EDIT: I have found the paper "Principal Submatrices IX: Interlacing Inequalities for Singular Values of Submatrices", by R.C.Thompson, which states the following theorem:

Let $C$ be an $m \times n$ matrix with singular values $\alpha_1\ge \alpha_2\ge...$. Let $B$ be a $p \times q$ submatrix of $C$, with singular values $\beta_1\ge \beta_2\ge...$. Then $\beta_i\ge \alpha_{i+(m-p)+(n-q)}$ for $i\leq {\rm min}(p+q-m,p+q-n)$.

If I take $p=m$ and $i=q$, I have $\beta_q\geq \alpha_n$ which means the smallest singular value of $C$ is smaller than the smallest singular value of $B$, which is what I want.

However, I have only verified this in numerical simulations when $m\gg n$. Why?

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    $\begingroup$ But the theorem should hold both for $A$ and for $B$... $\endgroup$
    – thedude
    Commented Nov 19, 2019 at 18:31

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You need $i\le\min(p+q-m,p+q-n)$. When $p=m$, this means $i\le\min(q,\,m+q-n)$. You cannot put $i=q$ unless $q\le m+q-n$ (i.e. unless $n\le m$).

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  • $\begingroup$ You are right, with the observation that, in the notation of the original question, it should be $n_1+n_2<m$. $\endgroup$
    – thedude
    Commented Nov 19, 2019 at 23:32

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