Impulsive control systems without commutativity assumptions (Q1331116)

The main subject of the article reviewed is concerned with the study of the optimal control problem for an impulsive system of the form \[ \dot x= f(t, x, u)+ \sum^ m_{i= 1} g_ i(t, x, u) \dot u_ i.\tag{1} \] Here, the measurable control \(u(t)\) is a possibly discontinuous function with values from a given set. The control problem described by the impulsive system (1) occurs for example in the theory of hyperimpulsive motions in Lagrangian mechanics. As is known, if the vector fields \(g_ i\) commute the impulsive control problem can be transformed into an ordinary control problem by means of a suitable change coordinates. However, there are a lot of control problems (e.g., the mechanics) where the commutativity assumptions do not hold. The authors of the article prove the possibility of approximation of every solution of some auxiliary system with commutativity condition by absolutely continuous solutions of the original system. The original system can be transformed into an auxiliary system by means of the state space factorization. On the basis of the above-mentioned approximation result the variational problem of Mayer type for impulsive systems is studied. In conclusion a number of examples is given. One of them is concerned with a double pendulum, where the length of the second pendulum and the angle formed by the two pendulums are regarded as controls. The bibliography contains 18 items. The article reviewed is intended for researchers interested in the problem of dynamic systems, Lie algebra of vector fields, optimal impulsive control theory and its applications to mechanical problems.