Time Optimal Synthesis for Left--Invariant Control Systems on SO(3)

Consider the control system given by $\dot x=x(f+ug)$, where $x\in SO(3)$, $|u|\leq 1$ and $f,g\in so(3)$ define two perpendicular left-invariant vector fields normalized so that \|f\|=\cos(\al) and \|g\|=\sin(\al), \al\in ]0,\pi/4[. In this paper, we provide an upper bound and a lower bound for $N(\alpha)$, the maximum number of switchings for time-optimal trajectories. More precisely, we show that N_S(\al)\leq N(\al)\leq N_S(\al)+4, where N_S(\al) is a suitable integer function of \al which for \al\to 0 is of order $\pi/(4\alpha).$ The result is obtained by studying the time optimal synthesis of a projected control problem on $R P^2$, where the projection is defined by an appropriate Hopf fibration. Finally, we study the projected control problem on the unit sphere $S^2$. It exhibits interesting features which will be partly rigorously derived and partially described by numerical simulations

Self-adjoint extensions and stochastic completeness of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on conic and anticonic surfaces

We study the evolution of the heat and of a free quantum particle (described by the Schr\"odinger equation) on two-dimensional manifolds endowed with the degenerate Riemannian metric $ds^2=dx^2+|x|^{-2\alpha}d\theta^2$, where $x\in \mathbb R$, $\theta\in\mathbb T$ and the parameter $\alpha\in\mathbb R$. For $\alpha\le-1$ this metric describes cone-like manifolds (for $\alpha=-1$ it is a flat cone). For $\alpha=0$ it is a cylinder. For $\alpha\ge 1$ it is a Grushin-like metric. We show that the Laplace-Beltrami operator $\Delta$ is essentially self-adjoint if and only if $\alpha\notin(-3,1)$. In this case the only self-adjoint extension is the Friedrichs extension $\Delta_F$, that does not allow communication through the singular set $\{x=0\}$ both for the heat and for a quantum particle. For $\alpha\in(-3,-1]$ we show that for the Schr\"odinger equation only the average on $\theta$ of the wave function can cross the singular set, while the solutions of the only Markovian extension of the heat equation (which indeed is $\Delta_F$) cannot. For $\alpha\in(-1,1)$ we prove that there exists a canonical self-adjoint extension $\Delta_B$, called bridging extension, which is Markovian and allows the complete communication through the singularity (both of the heat and of a quantum particle). Also, we study the stochastic completeness (i.e., conservation of the $L^1$ norm for the heat equation) of the Markovian extensions $\Delta_F$ and $\Delta_B$, proving that $\Delta_F$ is stochastically complete at the singularity if and only if $\alpha\le -1$, while $\Delta_B$ is always stochastically complete at the singularity.Comment: 29 pages, 2 figures, accepted versio

Invariant Carnot-Caratheodory metrics on S3S^3, SO(3)SO(3), SL(2)SL(2) and lens spaces

In this paper we study the invariant Carnot-Caratheodory metrics on $SU(2)\simeq S^3$, $SO(3)$ and $SL(2)$ induced by their Cartan decomposition and by the Killing form. Beside computing explicitly geodesics and conjugate loci, we compute the cut loci (globally) and we give the expression of the Carnot-Caratheodory distance as the inverse of an elementary function. We then prove that the metric given on $SU(2)$ projects on the so called lens spaces $L(p,q)$. Also for lens spaces, we compute the cut loci (globally). For $SU(2)$ the cut locus is a maximal circle without one point. In all other cases the cut locus is a stratified set. To our knowledge, this is the first explicit computation of the whole cut locus in sub-Riemannian geometry, except for the trivial case of the Heisenberg group

Normal forms and invariants for 2-dimensional almost-Riemannian structures

Two-dimensional almost-Riemannian structures are generalized Riemannian structures on surfaces for which a local orthonormal frame is given by a Lie bracket generating pair of vector fields that can become collinear. Generically, there are three types of points: Riemannian points where the two vector fields are linearly independent, Grushin points where the two vector fields are collinear but their Lie bracket is not, and tangency points where the two vector fields and their Lie bracket are collinear and the missing direction is obtained with one more bracket. In this paper we consider the problem of finding normal forms and functional invariants at each type of point. We also require that functional invariants are "complete" in the sense that they permit to recognize locally isometric structures. The problem happens to be equivalent to the one of finding a smooth canonical parameterized curve passing through the point and being transversal to the distribution. For Riemannian points such that the gradient of the Gaussian curvature $K$ is different from zero, we use the level set of $K$ as support of the parameterized curve. For Riemannian points such that the gradient of the curvature vanishes (and under additional generic conditions), we use a curve which is found by looking for crests and valleys of the curvature. For Grushin points we use the set where the vector fields are parallel. Tangency points are the most complicated to deal with. The cut locus from the tangency point is not a good candidate as canonical parameterized curve since it is known to be non-smooth. Thus, we analyse the cut locus from the singular set and we prove that it is not smooth either. A good candidate appears to be a curve which is found by looking for crests and valleys of the Gaussian curvature. We prove that the support of such a curve is uniquely determined and has a canonical parametrization

Nonisotropic 3-level Quantum Systems: Complete Solutions for Minimum Time and Minimum Energy

We apply techniques of subriemannian geometry on Lie groups and of optimal synthesis on 2-D manifolds to the population transfer problem in a three-level quantum system driven by two laser pulses, of arbitrary shape and frequency. In the rotating wave approximation, we consider a nonisotropic model i.e. a model in which the two coupling constants of the lasers are different. The aim is to induce transitions from the first to the third level, minimizing 1) the time of the transition (with bounded laser amplitudes), 2) the energy of lasers (with fixed final time). After reducing the problem to real variables, for the purpose 1) we develop a theory of time optimal syntheses for distributional problem on 2-D-manifolds, while for the purpose 2) we use techniques of subriemannian geometry on 3-D Lie groups. The complete optimal syntheses are computed.Comment: 29 pages, 6 figure

Existence of planar curves minimizing length and curvature

In this paper we consider the problem of reconstructing a curve that is partially hidden or corrupted by minimizing the functional $\int \sqrt{1+K_\gamma^2} ds$, depending both on length and curvature $K$. We fix starting and ending points as well as initial and final directions. For this functional we discuss the problem of existence of minimizers on various functional spaces. We find non-existence of minimizers in cases in which initial and final directions are considered with orientation. In this case, minimizing sequences of trajectories can converge to curves with angles. We instead prove existence of minimizers for the "time-reparameterized" functional \int \| \dot\gamma(t) \|\sqrt{1+K_\ga^2} dt for all boundary conditions if initial and final directions are considered regardless to orientation. In this case, minimizers can present cusps (at most two) but not angles

Stability of Planar Nonlinear Switched Systems

We consider the time-dependent nonlinear system $\dot q(t)=u(t)X(q(t))+(1-u(t))Y(q(t))$, where $q\in\R^2$, $X$ and $Y$ are two %$C^\infty$ smooth vector fields, globally asymptotically stable at the origin and $u:[0,\infty)\to\{0,1\}$ is an arbitrary measurable function. Analysing the topology of the set where $X$ and $Y$ are parallel, we give some sufficient and some necessary conditions for global asymptotic stability, uniform with respect to $u(.)$. Such conditions can be verified without any integration or construction of a Lyapunov function, and they are robust under small perturbations of the vector fields