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Exercise 1380Topology › Topology of Mn(ℝ) › Rank, spectrum and normsL3Added 6 Nov 2026

Eigenvalues are only Hölder continuous

#eigenvalues#Hölder continuity#Jordan block#perturbation

Statement

Let n≥2n\ge2, J=Jn(0)J=J_n(0) the nilpotent Jordan block (ones on the superdiagonal), En1E_{n1} the matrix unit with a single 11 in position (n,1)(n,1), and ε>0\varepsilon>0. Compute the eigenvalues of J+εEn1J+\varepsilon E_{n1} and deduce that the eigenvalues are not Lipschitz functions of the matrix.

Hint

Compute the characteristic polynomial by expanding det⁡(tI−M)\det(tI-M).

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Solution

The matrix. Mε=J+εEn1M_\varepsilon=J+\varepsilon E_{n1} has (Mε)i,i+1=1(M_\varepsilon)_{i,i+1}=1 for i<ni<n and (Mε)n,1=ε(M_\varepsilon)_{n,1}=\varepsilon, all other entries 00. Equivalently Mεe1=εenM_\varepsilon e_1=\varepsilon e_n and Mεej=ej−1M_\varepsilon e_{j}=e_{j-1} for j≥2j\ge2.

Characteristic polynomial. Let x=(x1,…,xn)x=(x_1,\dots,x_n) be an eigenvector for μ\mu: Mεx=μxM_\varepsilon x=\mu x reads xi+1=μxix_{i+1}=\mu x_i for i<ni<n and εx1=μxn\varepsilon x_1=\mu x_n. Hence xk=μk−1x1x_k=\mu^{k-1}x_1, x1≠0x_1\ne0, and εx1=μ⋅μn−1x1\varepsilon x_1=\mu\cdot\mu^{n-1}x_1, so μn=ε\mu^n=\varepsilon. The nn numbers μk=ε1/ne2πik/n\mu_k=\varepsilon^{1/n}e^{2\pi ik/n} are distinct, so
χMε(t)=tn−ε.\chi_{M_\varepsilon}(t)=t^n-\varepsilon.

Conclusion. All eigenvalues of MεM_\varepsilon have modulus ε1/n\varepsilon^{1/n}, while those of M0=JM_0=J are 00. The perturbation has operator norm ∥Mε−M0∥=ε\|M_\varepsilon-M_0\|=\varepsilon, so
max⁡k∣μk−0∣=ε1/n=∥Mε−M0∥1/n≫∥Mε−M0∥(ε→0, n≥2).\max_k|\mu_k-0|=\varepsilon^{1/n}=\|M_\varepsilon-M_0\|^{1/n}\gg\|M_\varepsilon-M_0\|\qquad(\varepsilon\to0,\ n\ge2).
No inequality ∣μ−μ′∣≤C∥M−M′∥|\mu-\mu'|\le C\|M-M'\| can hold near JJ.

Example. n=2n=2, ε=10−8\varepsilon=10^{-8}: (0110−80)\begin{pmatrix}0&1\\10^{-8}&0\end{pmatrix} has eigenvalues ±10−4\pm10^{-4}, four orders of magnitude larger than the perturbation.

Remark. The exponent 1/n1/n is optimal in general (Bauer-Fike type bounds for non-diagonalisable matrices give Hölder 1/n1/n). For normal matrices the dependence is Lipschitz with constant 11, as shown in the Bauer-Fike problem below.