Closed-Loop Monitoring Systems for Detecting Incipient Instability

Abstract

Monitoring systems are proposed for the detection of incipientinstability in uncertain nonlinear systems. The work employsgeneric features associated with the response to noise inputsof systems bordering on instability. These features, called "noisy precursors" in the work of Wiesenfeld, also yield information onthe type of bifurcation that would be associated with thepredicted instability. The closed-loop monitoring systems proposedin the paper have several advantages over simple open-loop monitoring.The advantages include the ability to influence the frequencies atwhich the noisy precursors are observed, and the ability tosimultaneously monitor and control the system.