Nonlinear Eigenvalue Approach to Differential Riccati Equations for Contraction Analysis

Abstract: In this paper, we extend the eigenvalue method of the algebraic Riccati equation to the differential Riccati equation (DRE) in contraction analysis. One of the main results is showing that solutions to the DRE can be expressed as functions of nonlinear eigenvectors of the differential Hamiltonian matrix. Moreover, under an assumption for the differential Hamiltonian matrix, real symmetricity, regularity, and positive semidefiniteness of solutions are characterized by nonlinear eigenvalues and eigenvectors.