Index reduction for differential-algebraic equations by substitution method (Q947691)

This paper is concerned with an index reduction method for linear differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) with constant coefficients. The DAEs are supposed to have at most one derivative per equation. Contrary to the other existing index reduction methods, this new method does not require the introduction of new variables. The main idea is that some variables are eliminated by appropriately chosen substitution. As a result, a smaller dimensional DAE system is obtained. By exploiting a combinatorial property of the degrees of minors in polynomial matrices, it is proven that the index of the resulted new DAE is less than that of the original DAE exactly by one. The efficiency of the method is illustrated by a numerical example.