Feedback Strategies For Partially Observable Stochastic Systems

In this book, the author deals with the mathematical modelling, nonlinear control and performance evaluation of a conceptual anti-aircraft gun based mobile air defence system engaging an attacking three-dimensional aerial target. This book is of interest to academic faculty, graduate students and industry professionals working in the fields of mathematical modelling and control, ground vehicles, mobile air defence systems and other related topics.

INRIA, Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique

Deterministic and stochastic control systems with aftereffect are considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the optimality of such systems are obtained. Various methods for the construction of exact and approximate solutions of optimal control problems are suggested. Problems of adaptive control for systems with aftereffect are analyzed. Numerous applications are described. The book can be used by researchers, engineers, and graduate students working in optimal control theory and various applications.

This is the first book to systematically present control theory for stochastic distributed parameter systems, a comparatively new branch of mathematical control theory. The new phenomena and difficulties arising in the study of controllability and optimal control problems for this type of system are explained in detail. Interestingly enough, one has to develop new mathematical tools to solve some problems in this field, such as the global Carleman estimate for stochastic partial differential equations and the stochastic transposition method for backward stochastic evolution equations. In a certain sense, the stochastic distributed parameter control system is the most general control system in the context of classical physics. Accordingly, studying this field may also yield valuable insights into quantum control systems. A basic grasp of functional analysis, partial differential equations, and control theory for deterministic systems is the only prerequisite for reading this book.

Twenty papers are devoted to the treatment of a wide spectrum of problems in the theory and applications of dynamic games with the emphasis on pursuit-evasion differential games. The problem of capturability is thoroughly investigated, also the problem of noise-corrupted (state) measurements. Attention is given to aerial combat problems and their attendant modelling issues, such as variable speed of the combatants, the three-dimensionality of physical space, and the combat problem, i.e. problems related to 'role determination'.