Lyapunov based guidance of a mobile sensing agent for state estimation of a gaseous source in a 3D spatial domain

The release of a gaseous substance into the atmosphere can pose a significant risk, whether intentional or accidental. The tracking and localization of the tracer as it moves throughout the domain in real time can provide information on how to minimize subsequent harm. This work investigates the state estimation and real time detection of a continuous source in a 3D environment through a Lyapunov based gradient ascent approach. A set of simulations demonstrate the behavior of the proposed estimator and guidance scheme with different source trajectories. Real time computational results are attained through the use of state reduction and grid adaptation techniques.