Gap metrics for time-varying linear systems in a continuous-time setting

A recently proposed time-varying generalisation of Vinnicombe’s ν -gap is shown to have the properties of a metric on a class of causal linear continuous-time systems that admit normalised strong graph representations. An alternative time-varying gap metric is then defined in more general terms and a corresponding robust stability result is derived for linear feedback interconnections. Finally, it is shown that the time-varying gap and ν -gap metrics induce the same topology, this being the coarsest topology under which feedback stability and closed-loop sensitivity are both robust properties.