EN
The behavior of the essential spectrum and the essential norm under (complex/real) interpolation is investigated. We extend an example of Albrecht and Müller for the spectrum by showing that in complex interpolation the essential spectrum $σ_e(S_{[θ]})$ of an interpolated operator is also in general a discontinuous map of the parameter θ. We discuss the logarithmic convexity (up to a multiplicative constant) of the essential norm under real interpolation, and show that this holds provided certain compact approximation conditions are satisfied. Some evidence supporting a counterexample is presented.