Hereditary realizations of linear neutral delay-differential systems (Q788679)

The realization problem for autonomous linear neutral delay-differential systems with one or more independent point delays is considered in the paper. Upon introducing delay operators, one for each rationally independent delay, the time delay system under consideration is transformed into an abstract linear system, over a suitable commutative ring with unity, of the form \(sD(z)x=A(z)x+B(z)u, y=C(z)x\), where D(z), A(z), B(z), and C(z) are polynomial matrices of appropriate dimensions. In order to investigate the algebraic structure of the above neutral system, the system matrix is introduced and two kinds of system equivalence relations are analyzed. Next, the notion of formal spectral minimality is introduced and related to the general notion of spectral minimality of infinite dimensional systems. It is demonstrated then that for neutral delay systems, unlike retarded delay systems, absolute minimality does not imply formal spectral minimality. In the case of systems with commensurable delays it is shown that an absolutely minimal system can always be reduced to a formally spectrally minimal system. The reduction can be accomplished by an extended type of system transformations. Based on the obtained results a realization procedure for a class of non-rational transfer functions is given. Finally, a counterexample is given showing that in the case of non-commensurable delays there may not exist a hereditary realization which is both absolutely minimal and formally spectrally minimal.