Free Semidefinite Representation of Matrix Power Functions

Abstract: Consider the matrix power function X^p defined over the cone of positive definite matrices S^{n}_{++}. It is known that X^p is convex over S^{n}_{++} if p is in [-1,0] or [1,2] and X^p is concave over S^{n}_{++} if p is in [0,1]. We show that the hypograph of X^p admits a free semidefinite representation if p in [0,1] is rational, and the epigraph of X^p admits a free semidefinite representation if p in [-1,0] or [1,2] is rational.