Model Reduction of Semistable Distributed Parameter Systems

The model reduction problem for semistable infinite-dimensional control systems is studied in this paper. In relation to these systems, we study an object we call the semistability Gramian, which serves as a generalization of the ordinary controllability Gramian valid for semistable systems. This Gramian is then given geometric as well as algebraic characterization via a Lyapunov equation. We then proceed to show that under a commutativity assumption relating the original and reduced systems, and as long as the semistability is preserved, we may derive a priori error formulas in ${\mathcal{H}}_2$-norm in terms of the trace of this Gramian.