On the dependence of solutions upon the right-hand side of an ordinary differential equation (Q1108425)

Finite-dimensional control systems whose input/output behaviour is governed by the relations \(\dot x=f(t,x;u)\), \(y=c(t,x)\), \(x(t_ 0)=x_ 0\) with smooth but otherwise arbitrary f,c are considered and the dependence of the output function \(y(t)=c(t,x(t))\) from the input function \(u=u(t)\) is studied. In particular conditions are stated in the Lie-algebra-language which are necessary and sufficient in order that y(t) depends upon \(t_ 0,x_ 0\) only. They amount to the requirement that the quantities \((\partial c/\partial x)\cdot (ad^{\rho}_{f_ 0}f)\), \(\rho =0,1,2...,f_ 0(t,x):=f(t,x,0)\) do not depend upon the parameter u. These results are basic in geometric control theory; they are known (and widely used) in case of autonomous affine systems. They are treated here in a purely ode-context; thereby they appear as natural extensions of standard dependence statements.