Nonholonomic Hamilton–Jacobi theory via Chaplygin Hamiltonization

Abstract

We develop Hamilton–Jacobi theory for Chaplygin systems, a certain class of nonholonomic mechanical systems with symmetries, using a technique called Hamiltonization, which transforms nonholonomic systems into Hamiltonian systems. We give a geometric account of the Hamiltonization, identify necessary and sufficient conditions for Hamiltonization, and apply the conventional Hamilton–Jacobi theory to the Hamiltonized systems. We show, under a certain sufficient condition for Hamiltonization, that the solutions to the Hamilton–Jacobi equation associated with the Hamiltonized system also solve the nonholonomic Hamilton–Jacobi equation associated with the original Chaplygin system. The results are illustrated through several examples.