Boundary controllability for the quasilinear wave equation

Abstract

We study the boundary exact controllability for the quasilinear wave equation in the higher-dimensional case. Our main tool is the geometric analysis. We derive the existence of long time solutions near an equilibrium, prove the locally exact controllability around the equilibrium under some checkable geometrical conditions. We then establish the globally exact controllability in such a way that the state of the quasilinear wave equation moves from an equilibrium in one location to an equilibrium in another location under some geometrical condition. The Dirichlet action and the Neumann action are studied, respectively. Our results show that exact controllability is geometrical characters of a Riemannian metric, given by the coefficients and equilibria of the quasilinear wave equation. A criterion of exact controllability is given, which based on the sectional curvature of the Riemann metric. Some examples are presented to verify the global exact controllability.