Computation of Bounds for Polynomial Dynamic Systems

Bounds for positive definite sets such as attractors of dynamic systems are typically characterized by Lyapunov-like functions. These Lyapunov functions and their time derivatives must satisfy certain definiteness conditions, whose verification usually requires considerable experience. If the system and a Lyapunov-like candidate function are polynomial, the definiteness conditions lead to Boolean combinations of polynomial equations and inequalities with quantifiers that can be formally solved using quantifier elimination. Unfortunately, the known algorithms for quantifier elimination require considerable computing power, meaning that many problems cannot be solved within a reasonable amount of time. In this context, it is particularly important to find a suitable mathematical formulation of the problem. This article develops a method that reduces the expected computational effort required for the necessary verification of definiteness conditions. The approach is illustrated using the example of the Chua system with cubic nonlinearity.