Exponential stability for a system of second and first order delay differential equations (Q2673714)

In this paper, exponential stability is studied of the second order linear delay differential equation (DDE) for \(x\) with indirect feedback control \(u\) meeting a first order DDE: \[ \ddot x(t)+a_1(t)\dot x(h_1(t))+a_2(t)x(h_2(t))+a_3(t)u(h_3(t))=0;\tag{1} \] \[ \dot u(t)+b_1u(g_1(t))+b_2(t)x(g_2(t))=0.\tag{2} \] All the delays are assumed to be bounded. Stability for delay differential systems containing equations of different orders is investigated in this paper for the first time. Applying a priori estimates for \(x\) and \(u\) and their derivatives, Bohl-Perron theorem, \(M\)-matrices, and matrix inequalities, the authors propose explicit sufficient conditions for uniform exponential stability of the system (1), (2) (both \(x\) and \(u\) decay exponentially).