On the stabilizability problem in Banach space

Abstract

The model is a linear system defined on Banach (state and control) spaces, with the operator acting on the state only the infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous semigroup. The stabilizability problem of expressing the control through a bounded operator acting on the state as to make the resulting feedback system globally asymptotically stable is considered. On the negative side, and in contrast with the finite dimensional theory, a few counter examples are given of systems which are densely controllable in the space and yet are not stabilizable, even if some further “nice properties” hold. Use is made of the notion of essential spectrum and its stability under relatively compact perturbations. On the positive side, it is shown, however, that for large classes of systems of physical interest (classical selfadjoint boundary value problems, delay equations, etc.) controllability on a suitable finite dimensional subspace still yields stabilizability on the whole space.