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Linear transformation of multivariate normals

Given a vector x of $n$ independent standard normal RVs, and an $m\times n$ matrix A, I was expecting that the linear transformation y=Ax would result in a multivariate normal with a covariance matrix AA$^T$. However, with $m>n$ the resulting $m \times m$ matrix AA$^T$ is not of full rank (if I understand it correctly) and hence is not invertible.

This seems to indicate that there is some "redundancy" in the system of equations y=Ax and that the same amount of information could, somehow, be represented by $n \times n$ matrix A$^*$ instead. Is this correct? And if yes, how does one construct this reduced matrix A$^*$ and then link it with the original system?

Confounded
  • 553
  • 2
  • 13