Stability of nonautonomous systems (Q1099322)

The author gives sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability of a class of linear systems of the form \((1)\quad x'=A(t)x+b(t).\) We quote one of his theorems to give the flavor of the results. Theorem. Let the matrix A(t) be off-diagonal positive, let b(t)\(\geq b\) \(0>0\) for all t, and let (1) have an equilibrium x \(*>0\). Then x * is asymptotically stable in the large. He also considers the related difference equation \((2)\quad x(k+1)=A(k)x(k)+b(k),\) gives some necessary conditions for asymptotic stability of systems related to (2), and makes some remarks about extensions to nonlinear systems.