Normality criterion for a two-mode shear model ($a^2=c^2,b(a+c)=0$)

For $A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}-i{\omega }_1& a\\ c& -i({\omega }_1-b)\end{array}\right)$ with real parameters,Thus the displayed conditions are necessary and sufficient for a normal matrix. In the family $a=1$, $b=c=q$, normality requires $q=-1$, not $q=1$. If $q=10/Re$, this is the formal value $Re=-10$ and no positive Reynolds number qualifies. At that value $A$ is a skew-Hermitian matrix and its exponential is unitary, so every initial direction has optimal energy amplification of a linear system equal to one.