Higher order derivatives of the adjugate matrix and the Jordan form (Q6087866)

A result of \textit{R. C. Thompson} and \textit{P. McEnteggert} [Linear Algebra Appl. 1, 211--243 (1968; Zbl 0224.15012)] states that for a Hermitian matrix \(A\) whose characteristic polynomial is \(p(z)\), if \(\lambda_i\) is a simple eigenvalue of \(A\), then \(\mathrm{Adj}(\lambda_i- A)\) is a scalar multiple of the orthogonal projection on the characteristic (or root) eigenspace related to \(\lambda_i\). In the present paper the authors extend this fact to the case of repeated eigenvalues, higher derivatives and general matrices. It is shown that the higher-order derivatives of the adjugate matrix \(\mathrm{Adj}(z-A)\) are related to nilpotent matrices and projections in the Jordan decomposition of the matrix \(A\).