Bounded consensus tracking of second-order multi-agent systems with sampling delay under directed networks

The bounded consensus tracking problems of second-order multi-agent systems under directed networks with sam- pling delay are addressed in this paper. When the sampling delay is more than a sampling period, new protocols based on sampled-data control are proposed so that each agent can track the time-varying reference state of the virtual leader. By using the delay decomposition approach, the augmented matrix method, and the frequency domain analysis, necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained, which guarantee that the bounded consensus tracking is realized. Furthermore, some numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Flocking of Multi-agent Systems Following Virtual Leader with Time-Varying Velocity

We consider the collective dynamics for a multi-agent system with a virtual leader. The velocity of the leader is time-varying and the interconnection topology of position network is switching based on the distances between agents. To track the leader in flocking, a neighbour-based local piecewise smooth controller is proposed for each agent. Using the control method, all agent velocities asymptotically approach the desired velocity while collisions can be avoided between agents. Some simulation results are provided to demonstrate the theoretical results.     

Adaptive tracking control for a class of uncertain chaotic systems

The paper is concerned with adaptive tracking problem for a class of chaotic system with time-varying uncertainty, but bounded by norm polynomial. Based on adaptive technique, it proposes a novel controller to asymptotically track the arbitrary desired bounded trajectory. Simulation on the Rossler chaotic system is performed and the result verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Second-Order Consensus of Multiple Agents with Bounded Control Inputs and Preserved Network Connectivity

This paper investigates second-order consensus of multi-agent systems with a virtual leader of varying velocity while preserving network connectivity.We propose a novel second-order consensus algorithm with bounded control inputs.Under the condition that the initial network is connected,the network will be connected all the time and all agents and the virtual leader can attain the same position and move with the same velocity.A simulation example is proposed to illustrate the effective of the proposed algorithm.     

Flocking in Multi-Agent Systems with Multiple Virtual Leaders Based Only on Position Measurements

Most existing flocking algorithms assume one single virtual leader and rely on information on both relative positions and relative velocities among neighboring agents. In this paper, the problem of controlling a flock of mobile autonomous agents to follow multiple virtual leaders is investigated by using only position information in the sense that agents with the same virtual leader asymptotically attain the same velocity and track the corresponding virtual leader based on only position measurements. A flocking algorithm is proposed under which every agent asymptotically attains its desired velocity, collision between agents can be avoided, and the final tight formation minimizes all agents' global potentials. A simulation example is presented to verify and illustrate the theoretical results.     

Tracking Consensus for Second-Order Multi-Agent Systems with Nonlinear Dynamics in Noisy Environments

This paper investigates the leader-following tracking consensus problem for second-order multi-agent systems with time delays and nonlinear dynamics in noisy environments on the conditions of fixed and switching directed topologies. Based on a novel velocity decomposition technique and stochastic analysis, a measurement-based distributed tracking control protocol is proposed, under which all agents can track the leader in mean square. Simulation results are also given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.     

Leader-following consensus problem with a varying-velocity leader and time-varying delays

In this paper, we study a leader-following consensus problem for a multi-agent system with a varying-velocity leader and time-varying delays. Here, the interaction graph among the followers is switching and balanced. At first, we propose a neighbor-based rule for every agent to track a leader whose states may not be measured. In addition, we consider the convergence analysis of this multi-agent system under two different conditions: the connection between the followers and the leader is time-invariant and time-varying. For the first case, a novel decomposition method is introduced to facilitate the convergence analysis. By utilizing a Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, we obtain sufficient conditions for uniformly ultimately boundedness of the tracking errors. Finally, two simulations are also presented to illustrate our theoretical results.     

Distance-based formation tracking control of multi-agent systems with double-integrator dynamics

This paper addresses the distance-based formation tracking problem for a double-integrator modeled multi-agent system(MAS) in the presence of a moving leader in d-dimensional space. Under the assumption that the state of leader can be obtained over fixed graphs, a distributed distance-based control protocol is designed for each double-integrator follower agent. The protocol consists of three terms: a gradient function term, a velocity consensus term, and a leader tracking term.Different shape stabilizing functions proposed in the literature can be applied to the gradient function term. The proposed controller allows all agents to both achieve the desired shape and reach the same velocity with moving leader by controlling the distances and velocity. Finally, we analyze the local asymptotic stability of the equilibrium set with center manifold theory. We validate the effectiveness of our approach through two examples.     

Finite-time consensus of second-order leader-following multi-agent systems without velocity measurements

This Letter investigates the finite-time consensus problems of second-order multi-agent systems in the presence of one and multiple leaders under a directed graph. Specifically, we propose two bounded control laws, which are independent of velocity information, to deal with the finite-time consensus tracking problem with one leader and the finite-time containment control problem with multiple leaders, respectively. With the aid of homogeneous theory, some sufficient conditions are established for the achievement of the finite-time tracking control problem of second-order multi-agent systems. Numerical examples are finally provided to illustrate the theoretical results.     

Stochastic resonance in the FitzHugh--Nagumo system driven by bounded noise

We investigate stochastic resonance (SR) in the FitzHugh--Nagumo system under combined bounded noise and weak harmonic excitation. Taking a spectral amplification factor as a signal-to-noise ratio, we show numerically that bounded noise can induce SR by adjusting either the intensity of bounded noise or its colour. Moreover, the increase of noise colour can enhance the SR and make the peak of the SR shift toward lower noise intensities, which is more feasible in practice. Since bounded noise is flexible to model random excitation, these findings may have some potential applications in engineering, neuroscience and biology.     

Stochastic bounded consensus tracking of leader-follower multi-agent systems with measurement noises and sampled-data

<正>This paper is concerned with the stochastic bounded consensus tracking problems of leader-follower multi-agent systems,where the control input of an agent can only use the information measured at the sampling instants from its neighbours or the virtual leader with a time-varying reference state,and the measurements are corrupted by random noises.The probability limit theory and the algebra graph theory are employed to derive the necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the mean square bounded consensus tracking.It is shown that the maximum allowable upper boundary of the sampling period simultaneously depends on the constant feedback gains and the network topology. Furthermore,the effects of the sampling period on the tracking performance are analysed.It turns out that from the view point of the sampling period,there is a trade-off between the tracking speed and the static tracking error. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

红外鱼眼系统下的多目标航迹起始方法研究

为了实现红外鱼眼系统下对多目标航迹进行起始,分析了红外鱼眼系统下目标在像面上的运动特点,提出了用于红外鱼眼系统的多目标航迹起始算法。算法采用逻辑法中的3/4逻辑,利用最大速度约束法去除各采样周期中大部分非相关量测点,用Hough变换方法确定可能航迹,用匀速约束对航迹进行确认。利用模拟目标对算法进行了实验和分析,结果表明,该算法与标准Hough变换法和逻辑法相比,航迹起始性能有了明显提高。当杂波个数为450个时,航迹起始虚警率仅为14%;对非断点航迹的成功起始时间为3帧,对断点航迹的成功起始时间为4帧,且在密集杂波环境下算法执行时间也较短。     

Synchronization and time shifts of dynamical patterns for mutually delay-coupled fiber ring lasers

A pair of coupled erbium doped fiber ring lasers is used to explore the dynamics of coupled spatiotemporal systems. The lasers are mutually coupled with a coupling delay less than the cavity round-trip time. We study synchronization between the two lasers in the experiment and in a delay differential equation model of the system. Because the lasers are internally perturbed by spontaneous emission, we include a noise source in the model to obtain stochastic realizations of the deterministic equations. Both amplitude synchronization and phase synchronization are considered. We use the Hilbert transform to define the phase variable and compute phase synchronization. We find that synchronization increases with coupling strength in the experiment and the model. When the time series from two lasers are time shifted in either direction by the delay time, approximately equal synchronization is frequently observed, so that a clear leader and follower cannot be identified. We define an algorithm to determine which laser leads the other when the synchronization is sufficiently different with one direction of time shift, and statistics of switches in leader and follower are studied. The frequency of switching between leader and follower increases with coupling strength, as might be expected since the lasers mutually influence each other more effectively with stronger coupling.     

Two-dimensional residual charge density distribution measurement of surface leader

The charge density distribution of the surface leader has never been measured before. Because the surface leader usually covers a long distance, and the surface potential caused by leader discharge is usually very high, this creates difficulties in measuring the potential distribution of the surface leader. In this paper, with a feedback type electrostatic probe based on a field-nullify technique, a charge density distribution scanning system is developed. A two-layer structure pipe is designed to lower the surface potential after discharge. In this way, the surface potential distribution caused by the residual charge of the leader discharge under the application voltage as high as to 40 kV can be measured. The surface charge density distribution including the leader and streamer is perfectly measured, which is in good agreement with the photograph.     

Transition of a diffuse discharge to a spark at nanosecond breakdown of high-pressure nitrogen and air in a nonuniform electric field

The transition of a runaway-electron-induced diffuse discharge initiated in a nonuniform electric field under a high pressure of air and nitrogen to a spark is studied. High-voltage pulses with a rise time of 0.5 ns are applied to a discharge gap with a tubular cathode having a small radius of curvature. It is shown that the leader of the spark discharge propagates toward the tubular cathode along preproduced tracks and may pass from one track to another. For a pulse rise time of about 0.5 ns and a gap length of 12 mm or more, it is found that spark leaders originating at the cathode (which has a small radius of curvature) do not reach the anode and accordingly, do not cause the spark breakdown of the gap. It is confirmed that the spark breakdown of the gap is associated with a spark leader that moves away from the plane electrode after the appearance of a bright spot on it.     

A NEW SLIDING MODE CONTROL FOR A CLASS OF UNCERTAIN TIME-DELAY CHAOTIC SYSTEMS

We propose a new sliding mode control scheme for a class of uncertain time-delay chaotic systems. It is shown that a linear time invariant system with the desired system dynamics is used as a reference model for the output of a time-delay chaotic system to track. A sliding mode controller is then designed to drive the output of the time-delay chaotic system to track the desired linear system. On the sliding mode, the output of the controlled time-delay chaotic system can behave like the desired linear system. A simulation example is given in support of the proposed control scheme.     

Triggering and guiding of an upward positive leader from a ground rod with an ultrashort laser pulse. II. Modeling

We have used the Bondio-Gallimberti model of positive leader propagation to simulate laboratory experiments of laser triggering and guiding of upward leaders initiated from a ground rod. The model proves to be capable of reproducing all the important features of laser-guided leader propagation that have been observed experimentally. The leader guiding effect of the laser-created plasma channel is taken into account in the model by adjusting the value of the charge per unit length of the leader, which has been measured in the laboratory to be lower for a laser-guided leader than for an ordinary one. The charge per unit length of the leader is related in the model to the critical temperature at which the air in the transition region at the leader tip must be heated to be conductive enough to become a new leader portion. For an ordinary leader, this critical temperature is 1500 K, at which the electrons all detach from the negative ions in the leader corona, increasing the air conductivity. We give the interpretation that in the case of the laser-guided leaders, because of the relatively high density of negative ions per unit length in the laser-ionized channel, the right conditions of conductivity can be met in the transition region without the electrons being all detached from the ions, allowing a reduction of the critical temperature and of the charge per unit length.     

Stochastic bounded consensus tracking of leader–follower multi-agent systems with measurement noises based on sampled-data with small sampling delay

This paper is concerned with the stochastic bounded consensus tracking problems of leader–follower multi-agent systems, where the control input of an agent can only use the information measured at the sampling instants from its neighborhood agents or a virtual leader with a time-varying reference state, the measurements are corrupted by random noises, and the signal sampling process induces a small sampling delay. The augmented matrix method, probability limit theory and algebra graph theory are employed to derive the necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing mean square bounded consensus tracking. It turns out that the convergence of the proposed protocol simultaneously depends on the constant feedback gains, the network topology, the sampling period and the sampling delay, and that the static consensus tracking error depends on not only the above-mentioned factors, but also the noise intensity, the number of agents and the upper bound of the changing rate of the virtual leader’s state. The obtained results cover no sampling delay as a special case. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

闪电双向先导理论及观测:极性不对称、不稳定及间歇性

闪电双向先导原理的提出及观测验证是闪电物理研究近几十年最重要的进展之一,而正、负先导及流光的极性不对称性及传输的持续、间歇性,是理解闪电各种过程物理机制的关键.本文对闪电双向先导的概念及进展进行了总结和讨论,重点强调了正、负先导流光传输机制特别是门限电场的不对称性,阐述了正先导传输的连续性及其在闪电始发、负先导的空间先导形成、不稳定先导通道中的反冲先导建立等过程中独特的启动作用.     

Finite-time consensus of heterogeneous multi-agent systems

We investigate the finite-time consensus problem for heterogeneous multi-agent systems composed of first-order and second-order agents.A novel continuous nonlinear distributed consensus protocol is constructed,and finite-time consensus criteria are obtained for the heterogeneous multi-agent systems.Compared with the existing results,the stationary and kinetic consensuses of the heterogeneous multi-agent systems can be achieved in a finite time respectively.Moreover,the leader can be a first-order or a second-order integrator agent.Finally,some simulation examples are employed to verify the efficiency of the theoretical results.