Pseudospectra and delay differential equations (Q2503029)

The paper is concerned with delay differential equations (DDEs) with fixed finite delay. A section introducing basic concepts about DDEs which are relevant to the paper is included. The paper begins with a brief discussion relating to the information provided by the pseudospectrum of a matrix. Two different notions of pseudospectra for DDEs are considered, one involving perturbations applied to individual system matrices and the other involving the infinitesimal operator and analysis of the transient behaviour of the system. The \(\varepsilon\)-pseudospectrum is defined as \(\Lambda_\varepsilon(\Delta):=\{z \in \mathbb{C}: \det (\Delta(z)+\widetilde \Delta(z))=0\) for some \(\| B_i\| \leq \varepsilon \omega_i\), \(i=0,\dots,m \}\), where \(\| B_i\| \) denotes a general matrix norm of \(B_i\). A theorem giving a computable formula for the \(\varepsilon\)-pseudospectrum is presented and proved, following by a corollary relating to the case when the 2-norm is used as the matrix norm. Details of the computational method used to compute pseudospectra are included. An illustrative example concerning a phase-conjugate feedback laser is presented, including a detailed discussion relating to the sensitivity of eigenvalues to the perturbations, with particular reference to the greater sensitivity of the eigenvalues nearest to the imaginary axis compared to those in the tail. An explanation for the emergence of a second tail of the spectrum resulting from the additonal delay term introduced by the perturbation is given. The effect of small perturbations to the steady state of the full nonlinear system is briefly investigated.