Min-plus methods in eigenvalue perturbation theory and generalised Lidskii-Vishik-Ljusternik theorem

Abstract

We extend the perturbation theory of Vishik, Ljusternik and Lidskii for eigenvalues of matrices, using methods of min-plus algebra. We show that the asymptotics of the eigenvalues of a perturbed matrix is governed by certain discrete optimisation problems, from which we derive new perturbation formulae, extending the classical ones and solving cases which where singular in previous approaches. Our results include general weak majorisation inequalities, relating leading exponents of eigenvalues of perturbed matrices and min-plus analogues of eigenvalues.