The majorant Lyapunov equation: A nonnegative matrix equation for robust stability and performance of large scale systems

A new robust stability and performance analysis technique is developed. The approach involves replacing the state covariance by its block-norm matrix, i.e., the nonnegative matrix whose elements are the norms of subblocks of the covariance matrix partitioned according to subsystem dynamics. A bound (i.e., majorant) for the block-norm matrix is given by the majorant Lyapunov equation, a Lyapunov-type nonnegative matrix equation. Existence, uniqueness, and computational tractability of solutions to the majorant Lyapunov equation are shown to be completely characterized in terms of matrices. Two examples are considered. For a damped simple harmonic oscillator with uncertain but constant natural frequency, the majorant Lyapunov equation predicts unconditional stability. And, for a pair of nominally uncoupled oscillators with uncertain coupling, the majorant Lyapunov equation shows that the range of nondestabilizing couplings is proportional to the frequency separation between the oscillators, a result not predictable from quadratic or vector Lyapunov functions.