On decoupling the \(H^{\infty}\)-optimal sensitivity problem for products of plants (Q1083415)

The \(H^{\infty}\) sensitivity problem, formulated by the last author [IEEE Trans. Autom. Control AC-26, 301-320 (1981; Zbl 0474.93025)] in an earlier paper is mathematically equivalent to the problem: given \(f,g\in H^{\infty}\), find \(\min \{\| f-gh\|:\) \(h\in H^{\infty}\}\). The solution of this problem was first given by \textit{D. Sarason} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 127, 179-203 (1967; Zbl 0145.393)] and is a special case of the solution to a problem of Nehari on the one hand, of the Sz. Nagy- Foias lifting theorem for contractions on the other. The answer is given as follows. One can assume that g is inner and consider the shift invariant subspace \(gH^ 2\). The required minimum is then the norm of the Hankel operator \(\pi M_ f[H^ 2\theta gH^ 2]\) where \(\pi\) is the orthogonal projection of \(H^ 2\) on \(H^ 2\theta gH^ 2\), and \(M_ f\) is the multiplication operator on \(H^ 2\) defined by f. The problem considered in this paper is how \(\| \pi M_ f\|\) can actually be computed. Here the authors consider the case \(f(s)=e^{- hs}P_ 0(s)\), where \(P_ 0(s)\) is a stable, proper, real rational function and give a procedure for computing the optimal sensitivity.