Eigenvalue sensitivity Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
For unit left eigenvector and right eigenvector of a real matrix at a simple eigenvalue , its normwise sensitivity is
It measures the first-order amplification of a matrix perturbation into an eigenvalue perturbation.
Differentiate the eigenvalue equation
at , where . Suppressing the argument gives
Left-multiplication by the transpose of the unit left eigenvector and use of cancel the terms involving :
Because the eigenvalue is simple, , and hence the first-order perturbation of a simple eigenvalue is
The definition of the operator norm, followed by the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, gives
Therefore
If is a real symmetric matrix, the finite-dimensional spectral theorem lets us choose the normalized left eigenvector and right eigenvector to be the same vector. Thus
More generally, the unitary diagonalization of a normal matrix shows that a real normal matrix also has coincident normalized left and right eigenspaces for each real eigenvalue. Since the question assumes , one can again choose , and every such simple eigenvalue has
The displayed matrix is an upper bidiagonal matrix. For , the right eigenvector equation successively gives
We may therefore take the unit right eigenvector to be .
For a left eigenvector, gives
Since ,
Choosing the initial scale produces
After normalization,
The eigenvalue sensitivity is therefore
where is the factorial. Hence