Exceptional points and double poles of the S matrix

Abstract

Exceptional points and double poles of the S matrix are both characterized by the coalescence of a pair of eigenvalues. In the first case, the coalescence causes a defect of the Hilbert space. In the second case, this is not so as shown in prevoius papers. Mathematically, the reason for this difference is the bi-orthogonality of the eigenfunctions of a non-Hermitian operator that is ignored in the first case. The consequences for the topological structure of the Hilbert space are studied and compared with existing experimental data.