Time varying linear systems with boundary conditions and integral operators. I: The transfer operator and its properties (Q794986)

This paper studies the problem of time-varying linear systems with boundary conditions. An interesting interplay is shown between systems and integral operators. More explicitly, connections with time-varying linear systems and their transfer operators are analyzed. System similarity is also studied. Then it is shown that the transfer operator of a cascade connection of systems with well posed boundary conditions is the composition product of the transfer operators of the compounding systems. Invertibility of the above systems is also analyzed based on the cascade connection results. Invertibility is examined only in the case, where the operator connecting the output with the input, in the original system, is invertible. Next, the factorization properties of the above systems are studied and the concept of minimality is analyzed. Analogous results are given also for the discrete-time case. Finally, interesting observations on the behaviour of the fundamental operator at infinity, make easy the extension of the beforementioned results to the half of full time line case. Results are also given for the time-invariant case.