Observability from measurable sets for a parabolic equation involving the Grushin operator and applications

In this work, we utilize the existing Carleman estimates and propagation estimates of smallness from measurable sets for real analytic functions, together with the telescoping series method, to establish an observability inequality from measurable subsets in time‐space variable for the parabolic equation with Grushin operator in some multidimension domains. We can apply this observability inequality to show the bang–bang property for both time optimal and norm optimal control problems for this kind of singular parabolic equation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Remarks on exact controllability for Stokes and Navier–Stokes systems

This Note deals with the controllability of Stokes and Navier–Stokes systems with distributed controls with support in possibly small subdomains. We first present a new global Carleman inequality for the solutions to Stokes-like systems that leads to the null controllability at any time T>0. Then, we present a local result concerning exact controllability to trajectories of the Navier–Stokes system. To cite this article: E. Fernández-Cara et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 338 (2004).     

Nulle contrôlabilité régionale d'une équation de type Crocco linéariséeRegional null controllability of a linearized Crocco type equation

We are interested in controllability problems of equations coming from a boundary layer model. This problem is described by a degenerate parabolic equation (a linearized Crocco type equation) where phenomena of diffusion and transport are coupled.First we give a geometric characterization of the influence domain of a locally distributed control. Then we prove regional null controllability results on this domain. The proof is based on an adequate observability inequality for the homogeneous adjoint problem. This inequality is obtained by decomposition of the space–time domain and Carleman type estimates along characteristics. To cite this article: P. Martinez et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 334 (2002) 581–584.     

Controllability cost of conservative systems: resolvent condition and transmutation

This article concerns the exact controllability of unitary groups on Hilbert spaces with unbounded control operator. It provides a necessary and sufficient condition not involving time which blends a resolvent estimate and an observability inequality. By the transmutation of controls in some time L for the corresponding second-order conservative system, it is proved that the cost of controls in time T for the unitary group grows at most like exp(αL²/T) as T tends to 0. In the application to the cost of fast controls for the Schrödinger equation, L is the length of the longest ray of geometric optics which does not intersect the control region. This article also provides observability resolvent estimates implying fast smoothing effect controllability at low cost, and underscores that the controllability cost of a system is not changed by taking its tensor product with a conservative system.     

On a parabolic logarithmic Sobolev inequality

In order to extend the blow-up criterion of solutions to the Euler equations, Kozono and Taniuchi [H. Kozono, Y. Taniuchi, Limiting case of the Sobolev inequality in BMO, with application to the Euler equations, Comm. Math. Phys. 214 (2000) 191-200] have proved a logarithmic Sobolev inequality by means of isotropic (elliptic) BMO norm. In this paper, we show a parabolic version of the Kozono-Taniuchi inequality by means of anisotropic (parabolic) BMO norm. More precisely we give an upper bound for the L^∞ norm of a function in terms of its parabolic BMO norm, up to a logarithmic correction involving its norm in some Sobolev space. As an application, we also explain how to apply this inequality in order to establish a long-time existence result for a class of nonlinear parabolic problems.     

A Nash Type Result for Divergence Parabolic Equation Related to Hörmander's Vector Fields

In this paper we consider the divergence parabolic equation with bounded and measurable coefficients related to Hörmander's vector fields and establish a Nash type result, i.e., the local Hölder regularity for weak solutions. After deriving the parabolic Sobolev inequality, (1,1) type Poincaré inequality of Hörmander's vector fields and a De Giorgi type Lemma, the Hölder regularity of weak solutions to the equation is proved based on the estimates of oscillations of solutions and the isomorphism between parabolic Campanato space and parabolic Hölder space. As a consequence, we give the Harnack inequality of weak solutions by showing an extension property of positivity for functions in the De Giorgi class.     

Optimal Design of the Time-Dependent Support of Bang–Bang Type Controls for the Approximate Controllability of the Heat Equation

We consider the nonlinear optimal shape design problem, which consists in minimizing the amplitude of bang–bang type controls for the approximate controllability of a linear heat equation with a bounded potential. The design variable is the time-dependent support of the control. Precisely, we look for the best space–time shape and location of the support of the control among those, which have the same Lebesgue measure. Since the admissibility set for the problem is not convex, we first obtain a well-posed relaxation of the original problem and then use it to derive a descent method for the numerical resolution of the problem. Numerical experiments in 2D suggest that, even for a regular initial datum, a true relaxation phenomenon occurs in this context. Also, we implement a simple algorithm for computing a quasi-optimal domain for the original problem from the optimal solution of its associated relaxed one.     

Uniform controllability properties for space/time-discretized parabolic equations

This article is concerned with the analysis of semi-discrete-in-space and fully-discrete approximations of the null controllability (and controllability to the trajectories) for parabolic equations. We propose an abstract setting for space discretizations that potentially encompasses various numerical methods and we study how the controllability problems depend on the discretization parameters. For time discretization we use θ-schemes with \({\theta \in [\frac{1}2,1]}\) . For the proofs of controllability we rely on the strategy introduced by Lebeau and Robbiano (Comm Partial Differ Equ 20:335–356, 1995) for the null-controllability of the heat equation, which is based on a spectral inequality. We obtain relaxed uniform observability estimates in both the semi-discrete and fully-discrete frameworks, and associated uniform controllability properties. For the practical computation of the control functions we follow J.-L. Lions’ Hilbert Uniqueness Method strategy, exploiting the relaxed uniform observability estimate. Algorithms for the computation of the controls are proposed and analysed in the semi-discrete and fully-discrete cases. Additionally, we prove an error bound between the fully discrete and the semi-discrete control functions. This bound is however not uniform with respect to the space discretization. The theoretical results are illustrated through numerical experimentations.     

On the boundary controllability of non-scalar parabolic systems

This Note is concerned with the boundary controllability of non-scalar linear parabolic systems. More precisely, two coupled one-dimensional linear parabolic equations are considered. We show that, with boundary controls, the situation is much more complex than for similar distributed control systems. In our main result, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions for null controllability. To cite this article: E. Fernández-Cara et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 347 (2009).     

On “predicted miss” stochastic control problems

For steering a linear stochastic system with bounded controls so as to be as close as possible to a given hyperplane at the terminal time, Benes proved that the controller that predicts which side of the hyperplane the state would be on with no further control, and then applies full “bang” in the appropriate direction, optimal, a result conjectured y Hilborn. In this paper a different proof of this result is presented, using martingale-based optimality criteria.     

A global Carleman inequality and exact controllability of parabolic equations with mixed boundary conditions

This paper establishes a global Carleman inequality of parabolic equations with mixed boundary conditions and an estimate of the solution. Further, we prove exact controllability of the equation by controls acting on an arbitrarily given subdomain or subboundary.     

Bang-bang principle of time optimal controls and null controllability of fractional order parabolic equations

In this paper, we establish a bang-bang principle of time optimal controls for a controlled parabolic equation of fractional order evolved in a bounded domain Ω of R^n, with a controller w to be any given nonempty open subset of Ω. The problem is reduced to a new controllability property for this equation, i.e. the null controllability of the system at any given time T 〉 0 when the control is restricted to be active in ω× E, where E is any given subset of [0, T] with positive （Legesgue） measure. The desired controllability result is established by means of a sharp observability estimate on the eigenfunctions of the Dirichlet Laplacian due to Lebeau and Robbiano, and a delicate result in the measure theory due to Lions.     

Periodic solutions to history-dependent differential hemivariational inequalities with applications

In this article, we investigate a hybrid model combined by a parabolic differential equation and a parabolic hemivariational inequality (so-called differential hemivariational inequality of parabolic–parabolic type) in general infinite dimensional spaces which includes the history-dependent operator. The solvability of initial value problems as well as the periodic problems of the hemivariational inequality and the differential hemivariational inequality have been proved. In application, we study a contact problem with normal compliance driven by a history-dependent dynamical system.     

Optimal Control of Vibration-Based Micro-energy Harvesters

We analyze the maximal output power that can be obtained from a vibration energy harvester. While recent work focused on the use of mechanical nonlinearities and on determining the optimal resistive load at steady-state operation of the transducers to increase extractable power, we propose an optimal control approach. We consider the open-circuit stiffness and the electrical time constant as control functions of linear two-port harvesters. We provide an analysis of optimal controls by means of Pontryagin’s maximum principle. By making use of geometric methods from optimal control theory, we are able to prove the bang–bang property of optimal controls. Numerical results illustrate our theoretical analysis and show potential for more than 200% improvement of harvested power compared to that of fixed controls.     

On the Theoretical and Numerical Control of a One-Dimensional Nonlinear Parabolic Partial Differential Equation

This paper deals with the analysis of the internal and boundary control of a one-dimensional parabolic partial differential equation with nonlinear diffusion. First, we prove a local null controllability result with distributed controls, locally supported in space. The proof relies on local inversion (more precisely, we use Liusternik’s Inverse Function Theorem), together with some appropriate specific estimates. We also establish a similar result with controls on one side of the boundary. Then, we consider an iterative algorithm for the computation of null controls, we prove the convergence of the iterates, and we perform some numerical experiments.     

Synthesis of Optimal Bang–Bang Control for Cooperative Collision Avoidance for Aircraft (Ships) with Unequal Linear Speeds

Close proximity encounters most often occur for situations in which participants have unequal linear speeds. Cooperative collision avoidance strategies for such situations are investigated. We show that, unlike the encounters of participants with equal linear speeds, bang–bang collision avoidance strategies are not always optimal when the linear speeds are unequal, and we establish the conditions for which no optimal bang–bang controls exist near the terminal time. Nevertheless, under certain conditions, we demonstrate that bang–bang collision avoidance strategies remain optimal for encounters of participants with unequal linear speeds. Such conditions are established, and it appears that they cover a wide range of important practical situations. The synthesis of bang–bang control is constructed, and its optimality is established.     

Carleman inequality for backward stochastic parabolic equations with general coefficients

In this Note, we present a Carleman inequality for linear backward stochastic parabolic equations (BSPEs) with general coefficients, and its applications in the observability of BSPEs, and in the null controllability of forward stochastic parabolic equations with general coefficients. To cite this article: S. Tang, X. Zhang, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 339 (2004).     

Simultaneous controllability of damped wave equations

We study the exact controllability of q uncoupled damped string equations by means of the same control function. This property is called simultaneous controllability. An observability inequality is proved, which implies the simultaneous controllability of the system. Our results generalize the previous results on the linear wave without the dampings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Internal Controllability for Parabolic Systems Involving Analytic Non-local Terms

This paper deals with the problem of internal controllability of a system of heat equations posed on a bounded domain with Dirichlet boundary conditions and perturbed with analytic non-local coupling terms. Each component of the system may be controlled in a different subdomain. Assuming that the unperturbed system is controllable—a property that has been recently characterized in terms of a Kalman-like rank condition—the authors give a necessary and sufficient condition for the controllability of the coupled system under the form of a unique continuation property for the corresponding elliptic eigenvalue system.The proof relies on a compactness-uniqueness argument, which is quite unusual in the context of parabolic systems, previously developed for scalar parabolic equations. The general result is illustrated by two simple examples.     

Local exact controllability of the Navier–Stokes system

In this paper we deal with the local exact controllability of the Navier–Stokes system with distributed controls supported in small sets. In a first step, we present a new Carleman inequality for the linearized Navier–Stokes system, which leads to null controllability at any time T>0. Then, we deduce a local result concerning the exact controllability to the trajectories of the Navier–Stokes system.