Krener's theorem

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Krener's theorem is a result in geometric control theory about the topological properties of attainable sets of finite-dimensional control systems. It states that any attainable set of a bracket-generating system has nonempty interior or, equivalently, that any attainable set has nonempty interior in the topology of the corresponding orbit. Heuristically, Krener's theorem prohibits attainable sets from being hairy.


[edit] Theorem

Let {\ }\dot q=f(q,u) be a smooth control system, where {\ q} belongs to a finite-dimensional manifold \ M and \ u belongs to a control set \ U. Consider the family of vector fields {\mathcal F}=\{f(\cdot,u)\mid u\in U\}.

Let \ \mathrm{Lie}\,\mathcal{F} be the Lie algebra generated by {\mathcal F} with respect to the Lie bracket of vector fields. Given \ q\in M, if the vector space \ \mathrm{Lie}_q\,\mathcal{F}=\{g(q)\mid g\in \mathrm{Lie}\,\mathcal{F}\} is equal to \ T_q M, then \ q belongs to the closure of the interior of the attainable set from \ q.


[edit] Remarks and consequences

Even if \mathrm{Lie}_q\,\mathcal{F} is different from \ T_q M, the attainable set from \ q has nonempty interior in the orbit topology, as it follows from Krener's theorem applied to the control system restricted to the orbit through \ q.


When all the vector fields in \ \mathcal{F} are analytic, \ \mathrm{Lie}_q\,\mathcal{F}=T_q M if and only if \ q belongs to the closure of the interior of the attainable set from \ q. This is a consequence of Krener's theorem and of the orbit theorem.


As a corollary of Krener's theorem one can prove that if the system is bracket-generating and if the attainable set from \ q\in M is dense in \ M, then the attainable set from \ q is actually equal to \ M.

[edit] References