Quebec Mathematical Sciences Colloquium

January 29, 2015 from 16:00 to 18:00 (Montreal/EST time) On location

Spectra and pseudospectra

Colloquium presented by Thomas Ransford (Université Laval)

Eigenvalues are amongst the most useful tools of mathematics: they permit diagonalization of matrices, they describe asymptotics and stability, they give a matrix personality. However, when the matrix in question is not normal, standard eigenvalue analysis is only partially applicable and can even be misleading. This talk will be an introduction to the theory of pseudospectra, a refinement of standard spectral theory which has proved successful in applications concerning non-normal matrices. In particular I shall focus on the question: do pseudospectra determine matrix behavior?

Address

McGill University, Burnside Hall, 805 rue Sherbrooke 0., Montréal, room 920