On the alpine ski with dry friction and air resistance. Some optimization problems for it. (Q1848119)

In the present paper one considers a real skis-skier system, \(\Sigma_R\) descending along a straight-line \(l\) with constant dry friction; and one schematizes it by a holonomic system \(\Sigma= A\cup U\), having any number \(n\geq 4\) of degrees of freedom and subjected to (non-ideal) constraints, partly one-sided. Thus, e.g., jumps and also ``step made with sliding skis'' can be schematized by \(\Sigma\) . Among the \(n\) Lagrangian coordinates for \(\Sigma\) two are the Cartesian coordinates \(\xi\) and \(\eta\) of its center of mass, \(C\), relative to the downward axis that includes \(l\) and to the upward axis that is normal to \(l\) in a vertical plane; the others are to be regarded as controls in that their values can be determined by the skiers. Four alternative laws of air resistance A.1 to A.4 are considered for \(\Sigma\). They have increasing simplicity, and according to all of them the resultant of air resistance, \(mF{\mathfrak R}\), is parallel to \(l\) and independent of \(\Sigma\)'s possible asymmetries with respect to the vertical plane trough \(l\). The paper is divided in three parts. In Part 1. \(\Sigma\)'s dynamic equations are written in a suitable form by which, under the law A.3 , a control-free first integral can be deduced, notwithstanding control can rise and lower \(C\), which affects \(C\)'s velocity \(\dot\xi\) because of dry friction. Given \(\Sigma\)'s initial conditions at \(t= 0\), this first integral is a relation between \(\xi\), \(\eta\), \(\dot\xi\), \(\dot\eta\) and the present time \(t\). In the case \(m{\mathfrak R}\equiv 0\) it can be integrated again. In Part 2 and Part 3 after some assumptions optimization problems are stated and solved. They are related with some motions of the skier.