Let $\mathcal{F}$ denote the family of [normal][1] matrices $A=\{a_{ij}\}$ such that: - $a_{ij}\geq 0$ with equality iff $i=j$ - $ A^TA=\begin{pmatrix} a & b \\ b & \ddots \end{pmatrix}$, where $b>0$. As a user observed in the solution of [Part 1 of this question][2], $\mathcal{F}$ is closed under left and right multiplication by permutation matrices. Partition $\mathcal{F}$ into equivalence classes, by writing $A\sim B$ if $B$ is obtained from $A$ by a sequence of row and column permutations. **Question:** Does every equivalence class of $\mathcal{F}$ contain a [circulant][3] matrix? ---------- [Part 1 of this question][5] [Original question on math.SE][6] [Literature][4] There is a natural geometric reformulation of this problem: *Describe equidistant configurations of $n$ points on an $(n-1)$-sphere, subject to positivity constraints.* [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_matrix [2]: http://mathoverflow.net/questions/193510/is-a-normal-matrix-satisfying-ata-circulant/193723 [3]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circulant_matrix [4]: http://www.math.ohiou.edu/~jain/073.pdf [5]: http://mathoverflow.net/questions/193510/is-a-normal-matrix-satisfying-ata-circulant/193723 [6]: http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1092185/is-a-normal-matrix-satisfying-ata-circulant