Moderate deviations for spectral measures of random matrix ensembles

Abstract: In this paper we consider the (weighted) spectral measure $\mu_n$ of a $n\times n$ random matrix, distributed according to a classical Gaussian, Laguerre or Jacobi ensemble, and show a moderate deviation principle for the standardised signed measure $\sqrt{n/a_n}(\mu_n -\sigma)$. The centering measure $\sigma$ is the weak limit of the empirical eigenvalue distribution and the rate function is given in terms of the $L^2$-norm of the density with respect to $\sigma$. The proof involves the tridiagonal representations of the ensembles which provide us with a sequence of independent random variables and a link to orthogonal polynomials.