No label defined (Q4025834)

The present paper discusses optimal pursuit by using an auxiliary problem concerning the distance \(R(x)\) between two vehicles. The performance index of the auxiliary problem is the value of the distance at the moment when the trajectory reaches the terminal surface \(S\), considered as a convex closed set. The minimal value of the function \(R(x)\) denoted by \(V(x)\) is attained on the terminal surface \(S\). The pursuer tends to obtain the minimal value \(V(x)\) and the pursued vehicle tends to maximize this value. We must mention that the derivative of the distance with respect to time does not depend explicity on the components of the acceleration taken as controls. Thus a domain \(U\) of the states where the motion is analyzed is determined. For the sake of a simple treatment, we take a change of function, defining the difference between the state variables of the pursuer vehicle and the pursued one. In this way the optimal pursuit trajectory is the solution of the controlled system obtained by the afore mentioned change having as controls the difference of the acceleration components for two vehicles. After the determination of the domain \(U\), the set of the admissible states for the pursuit problem coincides with the domain of the states for the auxiliary problem.