Probabilistic perturbation bounds of matrix decompositions

Abstract In this article, we determine probabilistic approximations of the entries of random perturbation matrices implementing the Markoff inequality. These approximations are used to derive with prescribed probability asymptotic componentwise perturbation bounds of some orthogonal and unitary matrix decompositions. We show that the probabilistic asymptotic bounds are significantly less conservative than the corresponding deterministic perturbation bounds. As case studies, we consider the determining of probabilistic perturbation bounds of the QR decomposition, the singular value decomposition and the Schur decomposition of a matrix using an unified method for asymptotic componentwise perturbation analysis of these decompositions. It is demonstrated that the probability bounds of the orthogonal transformations, singular values and eigenvalues are much tighter than the corresponding deterministic asymptotic bounds. The probabilistic bounds derived are appropriate for perturbation analysis of large‐order matrix problems.