{{short description |Eigenvector with vanishing eigenvalue}} {{Use British English |date=February 2024}} {{Use dmy dates |date=February 2024}} {{More citations needed |date=February 2024}} In physics, a '''zero mode''' is an eigenvector with a vanishing eigenvalue.<ref name="vau08">{{cite book |last=Vaughn |first=Michael T. |title=Introduction to Mathematical Physics |location=Germany |publisher=Wiley |year=2008 |page=81 |isbn=9783527618859 |doi=10.1002/9783527618859 }}</ref>
In various subfields of physics zero modes appear whenever a physical system possesses a certain symmetry. For example, normal modes of multidimensional harmonic oscillator (e.g. a system of beads arranged around the circle, connected with springs) corresponds to elementary vibrational modes of the system. In such a system zero modes typically occur and are related with a rigid rotation around the circle.
The kernel of an operator consists of left zero modes, and the cokernel consists of the right zero modes.
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Category:Linear algebra
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