"Advanced Topics in Control Systems Theory" contains selected contributions written by lecturers at the third (annual) Formation d’Automatique de Paris (FAP) (Graduate Control School in Paris). Following on from the lecture notes from the second FAP (Volume 311 in the same series) it is addressed to graduate students and researchers in control theory with topics touching on a variety of areas of interest to the control community such as nonlinear optimal control, observer design, stability analysis and structural properties of linear systems. The reader is provided with a well-integrated synthesis of the latest thinking in these subjects without the need for an exhaustive literature review. The internationally known contributors to this volume represent many of the most reputable control centers in Europe.

Control of nonlinear systems, one of the most active research areas in control theory, has always been a domain of natural convergence of research interests in applied mathematics and control engineering. The theory has developed from the early phase of its history, when the basic tool was essentially only the Lyapunov second method, to the present day, where the mathematics ranges from differential geometry, calculus of variations, ordinary and partial differential equations, functional analysis, abstract algebra and stochastic processes, while the applications to advanced engineering design span a wide variety of topics, which include nonlinear controllability and observability, optimal control, state estimation, stability and stabilization, feedback equivalence, motion planning, noninteracting control, disturbance attenuation, asymptotic tracking. The reader will find in the book methods and results which cover a wide variety of problems: starting from pure mathematics (like recent fundamental results on (non)analycity of small balls and the distance function), through its applications to all just mentioned topics of nonlinear control, up to industrial applications of nonlinear control algorithms.

Control of nonlinear systems, one of the most active research areas in control theory, has always been a domain of natural convergence of research interests in applied mathematics and control engineering. The theory has developed from the early phase of its history, when the basic tool was essentially only the Lyapunov second method, to the present day, where the mathematics ranges from differential geometry, calculus of variations, ordinary and partial differential equations, functional analysis, abstract algebra and stochastic processes, while the applications to advanced engineering design span a wide variety of topics, which include nonlinear controllability and observability, optimal control, state estimation, stability and stabilization, feedback equivalence, motion planning, noninteracting control, disturbance attenuation, asymptotic tracking. The reader will find in the book methods and results which cover a wide variety of problems: starting from pure mathematics (like recent fundamental results on (non)analycity of small balls and the distance function), through its applications to all just mentioned topics of nonlinear control, up to industrial applications of nonlinear control algorithms.

This volume is based on the course notes of the 2nd NCN Pedagogical School, the second in the series of Pedagogical Schools in the frame work of the European TMR project, "Breakthrough in the control of nonlinear systems (Nonlinear Control Network)". The school consists of four courses that have been chosen to give a broad range of techniques for the analysis and synthesis of nonlinear control systems, and have been developed by leading experts in the field. The topics covered are: Differential Algebraic Methods in Nonlinear Systems; Nonlinear QFT; Hybrid Systems; Physics in Control.The book has a pedagogical character, and is specially directed to postgraduates in most areas of engineering and applied sciences like mathematics and physics. It will also be of interest to researchers and practitioners needing a solid introduction to the above topics.

The chapters of this book have been presented at the 1st Workshop of the Nonlinear Control Network*, which was held in Ghent, March 15,16, 1999. These contributions give an overview of some of the current and emerging trends in nonlinear systems and control theory. As editors of this book we would very much like to thank the speakers at this workshop for their sti- lating presentations and for their efforts to bring this material to its current form, which we are sure will provide stimulating reading as well. Dirk Aeyels Franchise Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue Arjan J. van der Schaft 'The Nonlinear Control Network is a four year project within the framework of the European Commission's Training and Mobility of Researchers (TMR) Programme that started on December 1, 1997. There are nine partners involved: Dirk Aeyels Universiteit Gent Dirk. Asysls4rug. ac. be Belgium Alfonso Banos Universidad de Murcia abanostdif. um. es Spain Fritz Colonius Universitat Augsburg ColoniusCmath. uni-augsburg. de Germany Alberto Isidori Universita di Roma isidoriCgiannutri. caspur. it Italy Francoise Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique lamnabhiClss. supslsc. fr France (coordinator) David H.Owens University of Sheffield D. H. OnensCshsffield. ac. uk England Arjan J. van der Schaft Universiteit Twente a. j. vanderschaftCmath. ut8ents. nl The Netherlands Fatima Silva Leite Universidade de Coimbra fleiteCmat. uc. pt Portugal John Tsinias National Technical University of Athens jtsinCmath. ntua. gr Greece url: Nonlinear Control Network http://nuH. supelec. fr/lss/NCN Contents 1.

"Advanced Topics in Control Systems Theory" contains selected contributions written by lecturers at the second (annual) Formation d’Automatique de Paris (FAP) (Graduate Control School in Paris). It is addressed to graduate students and researchers in control theory with topics touching on a variety of areas of interest to the control community such as cascaded systems, flatness, optimal control, and Hamiltonian and infinite-dimensional systems. The reader is provided with a well-integrated synthesis of the latest thinking in these subjects without the need for an exhaustive literature review."Advanced Topics in Control Systems Theory" can be used to support either a one-term general advanced course on nonlinear control theory, devoting a few lectures to each chapter, or for more focused and intensive courses at graduate level. The book’s concise but pedagogical manner will give an ideal start to researchers wishing to broaden their knowledge in aspects of modern control theory outside their own expertise.

"Advanced Topics in Control Systems Theory" contains selected contributions written by lecturers at the third (annual) Formation d’Automatique de Paris (FAP) (Graduate Control School in Paris). Following on from the lecture notes from the second FAP (Volume 311 in the same series) it is addressed to graduate students and researchers in control theory with topics touching on a variety of areas of interest to the control community such as nonlinear optimal control, observer design, stability analysis and structural properties of linear systems. The reader is provided with a well-integrated synthesis of the latest thinking in these subjects without the need for an exhaustive literature review. The internationally known contributors to this volume represent many of the most reputable control centers in Europe.

Control of nonlinear systems, one of the most active research areas in control theory, has always been a domain of natural convergence of research interests in applied mathematics and control engineering. The theory has developed from the early phase of its history, when the basic tool was essentially only the Lyapunov second method, to the present day, where the mathematics ranges from differential geometry, calculus of variations, ordinary and partial differential equations, functional analysis, abstract algebra and stochastic processes, while the applications to advanced engineering design span a wide variety of topics, which include nonlinear controllability and observability, optimal control, state estimation, stability and stabilization, feedback equivalence, motion planning, noninteracting control, disturbance attenuation, asymptotic tracking. The reader will find in the book methods and results which cover a wide variety of problems: starting from pure mathematics (like recent fundamental results on (non)analycity of small balls and the distance function), through its applications to all just mentioned topics of nonlinear control, up to industrial applications of nonlinear control algorithms.

Control of nonlinear systems, one of the most active research areas in control theory, has always been a domain of natural convergence of research interests in applied mathematics and control engineering. The theory has developed from the early phase of its history, when the basic tool was essentially only the Lyapunov second method, to the present day, where the mathematics ranges from differential geometry, calculus of variations, ordinary and partial differential equations, functional analysis, abstract algebra and stochastic processes, while the applications to advanced engineering design span a wide variety of topics, which include nonlinear controllability and observability, optimal control, state estimation, stability and stabilization, feedback equivalence, motion planning, noninteracting control, disturbance attenuation, asymptotic tracking. The reader will find in the book methods and results which cover a wide variety of problems: starting from pure mathematics (like recent fundamental results on (non)analycity of small balls and the distance function), through its applications to all just mentioned topics of nonlinear control, up to industrial applications of nonlinear control algorithms.

This volume is based on the course notes of the 2nd NCN Pedagogical School, the second in the series of Pedagogical Schools in the frame work of the European TMR project, "Breakthrough in the control of nonlinear systems (Nonlinear Control Network)". The school consists of four courses that have been chosen to give a broad range of techniques for the analysis and synthesis of nonlinear control systems, and have been developed by leading experts in the field. The topics covered are: Differential Algebraic Methods in Nonlinear Systems; Nonlinear QFT; Hybrid Systems; Physics in Control.The book has a pedagogical character, and is specially directed to postgraduates in most areas of engineering and applied sciences like mathematics and physics. It will also be of interest to researchers and practitioners needing a solid introduction to the above topics.

The chapters of this book have been presented at the 1st Workshop of the Nonlinear Control Network*, which was held in Ghent, March 15,16, 1999. These contributions give an overview of some of the current and emerging trends in nonlinear systems and control theory. As editors of this book we would very much like to thank the speakers at this workshop for their sti- lating presentations and for their efforts to bring this material to its current form, which we are sure will provide stimulating reading as well. Dirk Aeyels Franchise Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue Arjan J. van der Schaft 'The Nonlinear Control Network is a four year project within the framework of the European Commission's Training and Mobility of Researchers (TMR) Programme that started on December 1, 1997. There are nine partners involved: Dirk Aeyels Universiteit Gent Dirk. Asysls4rug. ac. be Belgium Alfonso Banos Universidad de Murcia abanostdif. um. es Spain Fritz Colonius Universitat Augsburg ColoniusCmath. uni-augsburg. de Germany Alberto Isidori Universita di Roma isidoriCgiannutri. caspur. it Italy Francoise Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique lamnabhiClss. supslsc. fr France (coordinator) David H.Owens University of Sheffield D. H. OnensCshsffield. ac. uk England Arjan J. van der Schaft Universiteit Twente a. j. vanderschaftCmath. ut8ents. nl The Netherlands Fatima Silva Leite Universidade de Coimbra fleiteCmat. uc. pt Portugal John Tsinias National Technical University of Athens jtsinCmath. ntua. gr Greece url: Nonlinear Control Network http://nuH. supelec. fr/lss/NCN Contents 1.

"Advanced Topics in Control Systems Theory" contains selected contributions written by lecturers at the second (annual) Formation d’Automatique de Paris (FAP) (Graduate Control School in Paris). It is addressed to graduate students and researchers in control theory with topics touching on a variety of areas of interest to the control community such as cascaded systems, flatness, optimal control, and Hamiltonian and infinite-dimensional systems. The reader is provided with a well-integrated synthesis of the latest thinking in these subjects without the need for an exhaustive literature review."Advanced Topics in Control Systems Theory" can be used to support either a one-term general advanced course on nonlinear control theory, devoting a few lectures to each chapter, or for more focused and intensive courses at graduate level. The book’s concise but pedagogical manner will give an ideal start to researchers wishing to broaden their knowledge in aspects of modern control theory outside their own expertise.