Not to downplay the pure and applied mathematics implications. But the immediate discovery was made in the context of calculating neutrino oscillation probabilities. Yielding insight into matter / anti-matter imbalance in the known universe ;)
Eigenvalues: the Rosetta Stone for Neutrino Oscillations in Matter
Don't get me wrong, I like your cites - but at the end of the day, math is math. Either it works or it doesn't. If it works, apply it where you can! I've got a sneaking suspicion a PCA based analyzer for lidar generated point clouds is going to be a lot faster.......
Eigenvalues: the Rosetta Stone for Neutrino Oscillations in Matter
https://arxiv.org/abs/1907.02534
Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Underground_Neutrino_Expe...