Variational analysis and regularity of the minimum time function for differential inclusions

Abstract

We study the time optimal control problem for differential inclusions with a general closed target. We first give the representation of the proximal horizontal subgradients of the minimum time function $\mathcal{T}$ and then, together with the representation of the proximal subgradients, we obtain some relationships between the normal cones to the sublevel of $\mathcal{T}$ and the normal cones to its epigraph. The relationships allow us to get the propagation of the proximal subdifferential as well as of the proximal horizontal subdifferential of $\mathcal{T}$ along optimal trajectories. Finally, we show, under suitable assumptions, that the epigraph of $\mathcal{T}$ is $\varphi$-convex near the target. This is the first nonlinear $\varphi$-convexity result valid in any dimension.