On the hierarchical optimal control of a chain of distributed systems

Abstract: In this paper, we consider a chain of distributed systems governed by a degenerate parabolic equation, which satisfies a weak H\"{o}rmander type condition, with a control distributed over an open subdomain. In particular, we consider two objectives that we would like to accomplish. The first one being of a controllability type that consists of guaranteeing the terminal state to reach a target set starting from an initial condition; while the second one is keeping the state trajectory of the overall system close to a given reference trajectory on a finite, compact time intervals. We introduce the following framework. First, we partition the control subdomain into two disjoint open subdomains that are compatible with the strategy subspaces of the {\it leader} and that of the {\it follower}, respectively. Then, using the notion of Stackelberg's optimization (which is a hierarchical optimization framework), we provide a new result on the existence of optimal strategies for such an optimization problem -- where the {\it follower} (which corresponds to the second criterion) is required to respond optimally, in the sense of {\it best-response correspondence} to the strategy of the {\it leader} (that is associated to the controllability-type criterion) so as to achieve the overall objectives. Finally, we remark on the implication of our result in assessing the influence of the reachable target set on the optimal strategy of the {\it follower} in relation to the direction of {\it leader-follower} and {\it follower-leader} information flows.