Optimizing the time to cross a region (Q1895069)

The authors consider the problem of finding the path of a dynamical system with a minimum sojourn time in a contaminated region, which itself may move with time. Such problem may be investigated as a classical optimal control problem with unusual minimizing functional \[ T(x(t)) = \int^1_0 \delta(t, x(t)) dt, \] where \(x\) is a phase vector and \(\delta\) is the characteristic function of a given set. Under suitable conditions the authors investigate the linear problem. The differential properties of this criterion are studied and necessary conditions for optimality are obtained.