Persistent motion and chaos in attitude control with switching actuators

Authors:	Kienitz Karl, DLR Institute for Robotics and Mechatronics, Germany Mesquita Alexandre, Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica, Brazil
Topic:	2.3 Non-Linear Control Systems
Session:	Nonlinear Stability and Structural Analysis
Keywords:	Limit cycles; Chaotic behaviour; Switching functions; Attitude control; Nonlinear control systems.

Abstract

In systems with switching actuators persistent motions of different nature may occur, such as limit cycles, quasi-periodic and chaotic motions. In this contribution the nature of persistent motions in an attitude control system with switching actuators subject to switching restrictions are examined as a function of controller parameters. Bifurcation diagrams are used to describe observations. In the light of the bifurcation diagrams, control issues and earlier results obtained with the describing function method are assessed from a more general perspective.