Stability and Control of Power Systems using Vector Lyapunov Functions and Sum-of-Squares Methods

Recently sum-of-squares (SOS) based methods have been used for the stability analysis and control synthesis of polynomial dynamical systems. This analysis framework was also extended to non-polynomial dynamical systems, including power systems, using an algebraic reformulation technique that recasts the system's dynamics into a set of polynomial differential algebraic equations. Nevertheless, for large scale dynamical systems this method becomes inapplicable due to its computational complexity. For this reason we develop a subsystem based stability analysis approach using vector Lyapunov functions and introduce a parallel and scalable algorithm to infer the stability of the interconnected system with the help of the subsystem Lyapunov functions. Furthermore, we design adaptive and distributed control laws that guarantee asymptotic stability under a given external disturbance. Finally, we apply this algorithm for the stability analysis and control synthesis of a network preserving power system.Comment: to appear at the 14th annual European Control Conferenc

Network analysis of chaotic dynamics in fixed-precision digital domain

When implemented in the digital domain with time, space and value discretized in the binary form, many good dynamical properties of chaotic systems in continuous domain may be degraded or even diminish. To measure the dynamic complexity of a digital chaotic system, the dynamics can be transformed to the form of a state-mapping network. Then, the parameters of the network are verified by some typical dynamical metrics of the original chaotic system in infinite precision, such as Lyapunov exponent and entropy. This article reviews some representative works on the network-based analysis of digital chaotic dynamics and presents a general framework for such analysis, unveiling some intrinsic relationships between digital chaos and complex networks. As an example for discussion, the dynamics of a state-mapping network of the Logistic map in a fixed-precision computer is analyzed and discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 9 figure

Dynamical principles in neuroscience

Dynamical modeling of neural systems and brain functions has a history of success over the last half century. This includes, for example, the explanation and prediction of some features of neural rhythmic behaviors. Many interesting dynamical models of learning and memory based on physiological experiments have been suggested over the last two decades. Dynamical models even of consciousness now exist. Usually these models and results are based on traditional approaches and paradigms of nonlinear dynamics including dynamical chaos. Neural systems are, however, an unusual subject for nonlinear dynamics for several reasons: (i) Even the simplest neural network, with only a few neurons and synaptic connections, has an enormous number of variables and control parameters. These make neural systems adaptive and flexible, and are critical to their biological function. (ii) In contrast to traditional physical systems described by well-known basic principles, first principles governing the dynamics of neural systems are unknown. (iii) Many different neural systems exhibit similar dynamics despite having different architectures and different levels of complexity. (iv) The network architecture and connection strengths are usually not known in detail and therefore the dynamical analysis must, in some sense, be probabilistic. (v) Since nervous systems are able to organize behavior based on sensory inputs, the dynamical modeling of these systems has to explain the transformation of temporal information into combinatorial or combinatorial-temporal codes, and vice versa, for memory and recognition. In this review these problems are discussed in the context of addressing the stimulating questions: What can neuroscience learn from nonlinear dynamics, and what can nonlinear dynamics learn from neuroscience?This work was supported by NSF Grant No. NSF/EIA-0130708, and Grant No. PHY 0414174; NIH Grant No. 1 R01 NS50945 and Grant No. NS40110; MEC BFI2003-07276, and Fundación BBVA

Controllability and observability of grid graphs via reduction and symmetries

In this paper we investigate the controllability and observability properties of a family of linear dynamical systems, whose structure is induced by the Laplacian of a grid graph. This analysis is motivated by several applications in network control and estimation, quantum computation and discretization of partial differential equations. Specifically, we characterize the structure of the grid eigenvectors by means of suitable decompositions of the graph. For each eigenvalue, based on its multiplicity and on suitable symmetries of the corresponding eigenvectors, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions to characterize all and only the nodes from which the induced dynamical system is controllable (observable). We discuss the proposed criteria and show, through suitable examples, how such criteria reduce the complexity of the controllability (respectively observability) analysis of the grid

ADAM: Analysis of Discrete Models of Biological Systems Using Computer Algebra

Background: Many biological systems are modeled qualitatively with discrete models, such as probabilistic Boolean networks, logical models, Petri nets, and agent-based models, with the goal to gain a better understanding of the system. The computational complexity to analyze the complete dynamics of these models grows exponentially in the number of variables, which impedes working with complex models. Although there exist sophisticated algorithms to determine the dynamics of discrete models, their implementations usually require labor-intensive formatting of the model formulation, and they are oftentimes not accessible to users without programming skills. Efficient analysis methods are needed that are accessible to modelers and easy to use. Method: By converting discrete models into algebraic models, tools from computational algebra can be used to analyze their dynamics. Specifically, we propose a method to identify attractors of a discrete model that is equivalent to solving a system of polynomial equations, a long-studied problem in computer algebra. Results: A method for efficiently identifying attractors, and the web-based tool Analysis of Dynamic Algebraic Models (ADAM), which provides this and other analysis methods for discrete models. ADAM converts several discrete model types automatically into polynomial dynamical systems and analyzes their dynamics using tools from computer algebra. Based on extensive experimentation with both discrete models arising in systems biology and randomly generated networks, we found that the algebraic algorithms presented in this manuscript are fast for systems with the structure maintained by most biological systems, namely sparseness, i.e., while the number of nodes in a biological network may be quite large, each node is affected only by a small number of other nodes, and robustness, i.e., small number of attractors

Dynamical models of the mammalian target of rapamycin network in ageing

Phd ThesisThe mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR)kinase is a central regulator of cellular growth and metabolism and plays an important role in ageing and age- related diseases. The increase of invitro data collected to extend our knowledge on its regulation, and consequently improve drug intervention,has highlighted the complexity of the mTOR network. This complexity is also aggravated by the intrinsic time-dependent nature of cellular regulatory network cross-talks and feedbacks. Systems biology constitutes a powerful tool for mathematically for- malising biological networks and investigating such dynamical properties. The present work discusses the development of three dynamical models of the mTOR network. The first aimed at the analysis of the current literature-based hypotheses of mTOR Complex2(mTORC2)regulation. For each hypothesis, the model predicted specific differential dynamics which were systematically tested by invitro experiments. Surprisingly, nocurrent hypothesis could explain the data and a new hypothesis of mTORC2 activation was proposed.The second model extended the previous one with an AMPK module. In this study AMPK was reported to be activated by insulin. Using a hypothesis ranking approach based on model goodness-of-fit, AMPK activity was insilico predicted and in vitro tested to be activated by the insulin receptor substrate(IRS).Finally,the last model linked mTOR with the oxidative stress response, mitochondrial reg- ulation, DNA damage and FoxO transcription factors. This work provided the characterisation of a dynamical mechanism to explain the state transition from normal to senescent cells and their reversibility of the senescentphenotype.European Council 6FP NoE LifeSpan, School of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle Universit

Generalized network density matrices for analysis of multiscale functional diversity

The network density matrix formalism allows for describing the dynamics of information on top of complex structures and it has been successfully used to analyze from system's robustness to perturbations to coarse graining multilayer networks from characterizing emergent network states to performing multiscale analysis. However, this framework is usually limited to diffusion dynamics on undirected networks. Here, to overcome some limitations, we propose an approach to derive density matrices based on dynamical systems and information theory, that allows for encapsulating a much wider range of linear and non-linear dynamics and richer classes of structure, such as directed and signed ones. We use our framework to study the response to local stochastic perturbations of synthetic and empirical networks, including neural systems consisting of excitatory and inhibitory links and gene-regulatory interactions. Our findings demonstrate that topological complexity does not lead, necessarily, to functional diversity -- i.e., complex and heterogeneous response to stimuli or perturbations. Instead, functional diversity is a genuine emergent property which cannot be deduced from the knowledge of topological features such as heterogeneity, modularity, presence of asymmetries or dynamical properties of a system