Degenerate asymptotic perturbation theory

Asymptotic Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbation theory for discrete eigenvalues is developed systematically in the general degenerate case. For this purpose we study the spectral properties ofm×m—matrix functionsA(κ) of a complex variable κ which have an asymptotic expansion εA _k κ ^k as τ→0. We show that asymptotic expansions for groups of eigenvalues and for the corresponding spectral projections ofA(κ) can be obtained from the set {A _κ} by analytic perturbation theory. Special attention is given to the case whereA(κ) is Borel-summable in some sector originating from κ=0 with opening angle >π. Here we prove that the asymptotic series describe individual eigenvalues and eigenprojections ofA(κ) which are shown to be holomorphic inS near κ=0 and Borel summable ifA _k ^* =A _k for allk. We then fit these results into the scheme of Rayleigh-Schrödinger perturbation theory and we give some examples of asymptotic estimates for Schrödinger operators.