[SciPy-user] do complex numbers default to double precision?

[Ryan Krauss]

I have a matrix that is a function of a complex valued input.  I am 
trying to find that value of that input that drives the determinant of 
the matrix to zero.  I am searching for this value using fmin. The error 
I am trying to minimize is the abs(det(complex matrix)).  I don't seem 
to be able to drive this error lower that roughly 9e-17, regardless of 
the values for ftol and xtol I use.

Am I hitting some internal limitation?  Are complex values by default 
single or double precision?

Thanks,

Ryan