On the geometry of vectorgrams for a certain class of nonlinear smooth control systems (Q1780361)

The paper deals with the two-point time-optimal control problem for a nonlinear smooth control systems when an analog of the R. V. Gamkrelidze theorem on the finiteness of the number of switchings holds. The author gives a review of a large number works devoted to this problem. Two directions of investigations are discussed. The first line of study is related to different descriptions of control constraints. The new results in the paper are obtained when control constraints are supposed to be a so-called manifold with corners. It is proved that in this case the vectorgram of the system considered is not, only convex, but also a manifold with corners. The second line of study is related to the characterization of switching points of extremal controls. Under the condition that there exists a closed smooth geodesic on the vectorgram and its smooth generator in the manifold with corners, and other suitable assumptions, the author determines the switching function which zeros contains all switching points of the extremal control.