Liénard–Chipart criterion explained

In control system theory, the Liénard–Chipart criterion is a stability criterion modified from the Routh–Hurwitz stability criterion, proposed by A. Liénard and M. H. Chipart.^[1] This criterion has a computational advantage over the Routh–Hurwitz criterion because it involves only about half the number of determinant computations.^[2]

Algorithm

The Routh–Hurwitz stability criterion says that a necessary and sufficient condition for all the roots of the polynomial with real coefficients

f(z) = a _{0} z ^{n} + a _{1} z ^{n-1} + … + a _{n} (a _{0} > 0 )

to have negative real parts (i.e.

f is Hurwitz stable) is that\Delta _{1} > 0 , \Delta _{2} > 0 , \ldots, \Delta _{n} > 0 ,

where

\Delta _{i} is the i-th leading principal minor of the Hurwitz matrix associated with f .

Using the same notation as above, the Liénard–Chipart criterion is that

f is Hurwitz stable if and only if any one of the four conditions is satisfied:a _{n>0,a} _{n-2} > 0 , \ldots; \Delta _{1} > 0 ,\Delta _{3>0,\ldots} a _{n>0,a} _{n-2} > 0 , \ldots; \Delta _{2} > 0 ,\Delta _{4>0,\ldots} a _{n>0,a} _{n-1} > 0 ,a _{n-3} > 0 , \ldots; \Delta _{1>0,\Delta} _{3>0,\ldots} a _{n>0,a} _{n-1} > 0 ,a _{n-3} > 0 , \ldots; \Delta _{2>0,\Delta} _{4>0,\ldots}

Hence one can see that by choosing one of these conditions, the number of determinants required to be evaluated is reduced.

Alternatively Fuller formulated this as follows for (noticing that

\Delta _{1>0} is never needed to be checked):a _{n>0,a} _{1} > 0 , a _{3} > 0 , a _{5} > 0 , \ldots; \Delta _{n-1} > 0 ,\Delta _{n-3} > 0 ,\Delta _{n-5} > 0 ,\ldots,\{\Delta _{3>0} (n even) \Delta _{2>0} (n odd)\}.

This means if n is even, the second line ends in

\Delta _{3>0} and if n is odd, it ends in \Delta _{2>0} and so this is just 1. condition for odd n and 4. condition for even n from above. The first line always ends in a _{n} , but a _{n-1} > 0 is also needed for even n.

Notes and References

1. Liénard . A. . Chipart . M. H. . 1914 . Sur le signe de la partie réelle des racines d'une équation algébrique . . 10 . 6 . 291–346 .
2. Book: Felix Gantmacher . American Mathematical Society . 2000 . 0-8218-2664-6 . 2 . 221–225 . Felix Gantmacher.