KTH/SU Mathematics Colloquium

November 4, 2009

Nils Dencker, Lund University

The spectral instability of differential operators

The spectral instability of non-normal operators is a phenomenon which has recently attracted increasing interest in applications. It gives an obstruction to the accurate computation of eigenvalues of large non-normal matrices and has applications in a wide field, from random matrix theory, the stability of flows to things as mundane as brake squeal. In this talk, we shall review the spectral instability of semiclassical differential operators.