Actuator and Sensor selection for feedback control of the linearised Ginzburg-Landau equation

Abstract

The process of selecting the optimal actuator and sensor location for feedback control of the linearized Ginzburg-Landau equation is considered. We inspect the problem for a single actuator and a single sensor, with a particular focus on how the optimal locations vary as the stability of the system, defined in a suitable way, is changed. By mapping the optimal actuator and sensor locations with varying system stability, a fundamental trade-off for this particular flow control problem is made clear. On the one hand, the actuator and sensor need to each ‘see’ enough of the modes they are trying to control; but on the other hand, they must also be close enough to each other so that the time lag..