Disk-annulus transition and localization in random non-Hermitian tridiagonal matrices

Eigenvalues and localization of eigenvectors of non-Hermitian tridiagonal periodic random matrices are studied by means of the Hatano-Nelson deformation. The support of the spectrum undergoes a disk to annulus transition, with inner radius measured by the complex Thouless formula. The inner bounding circle and the annular halo are structures that correspond to the two arcs and wings observed by Hatano and Nelson in deformed Hermitian models, and are explained in terms of localization of eigenstates via a spectral duality and the argument principle. This disk-annulus transition is reminiscent of Feinberg and Zee's transition observed in full complex random matrices.