On neighbouring matrices with quadratic elementary divisors (Q797259)

After explanations of needed notations and basic results, this paper presents new results on matrices with quadratic elementary divisors neighboring a given matrix A and relates them to those given by \textit{W. Kahan} [On neighboring defective matrices, Notes for lecture at Gatlinburg VIII, Oxford University (1981)]. It shows that all results of this kind may give severe overestimates of the distance to the nearest defective matrix and that matrices with elementary divisors of degrees higher than two are often at a much greater distance than those with quadratic divisors. Numerical examples are given and more realistic bounds are established.