Identifiability of time-dependent linear systems (Q1098806)

A direct method for determining the structural identifiability of time- dependent linear systems is developed. This method does not require that the system be controllable. A specific example is treated which shows that a time-dependent system may be identifiable on a finite time interval without being identifiable on a longer interval. The method developed here extends to time-dependent systems the results of \textit{C. C. Travis} and \textit{G. Haddock} [Math. Biosci. 56, 157-173 (1981; Zbl 0465.93027)] and does not use the frequency domain techniques introduced by \textit{R. Bellman} and \textit{K.J.Åstroem} [Math. Biosci. 7, 329-339 (1970)].