PhD Seminar • Computer Algebra | Symbolic Computation • An Algorithm for Diagonalizing Matrices of Formal Power Series

Friday, May 22, 2026 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Please note: This PhD seminar will take place online.

Jingyu Lu, PhD candidate
David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science

Supervisors: Professors Mark Giesbrecht, Éric Schost

In this talk, we study the unitary diagonalization of matrices over formal power series rings. We characterize when a normal matrix is unitarily diagonalizable, showing that this happens precisely when its minimal polynomial splits completely over the ring and the corresponding spectral projections remain inside the ring. Based on this characterization, we develop an algorithm for deciding unitary diagonalizability over regular local rings arising from algebraic varieties. A key ingredient is a criterion for determining when a polynomial splits over a formal power series ring, obtained using techniques from prime decomposition and ramification theory.

This is a joint work with Zihao Dai, Hao Liang, and Lihong Zhi.


Attend this PhD seminar virtually on Zoom.