This book showcases a subclass of hereditary systems, that is, systems with behaviour depending not only on their current state but also on their past history; it is an introduction to the mathematical theory of optimal control for stochastic difference Volterra equations of neutral type. As such, it will be of much interest to researchers interested in modelling processes in physics, mechanics, automatic regulation, economics and finance, biology, sociology and medicine for all of which such equations are very popular tools. The text deals with problems of optimal control such as meeting given performance criteria, and stabilization, extending them to neutral stochastic difference Volterra equations. In particular, it contrasts the difference analogues of solutions to optimal control and optimal estimation problems for stochastic integral Volterra equations with optimal solutions for corresponding problems in stochastic difference Volterra equations. Optimal Control of Stochastic Difference Volterra Equations commences with an historical introduction to the emergence of this type of equation with some additional mathematical preliminaries. It then deals with the necessary conditions for optimality in the control of the equations and constructs a feedback control scheme. The approximation of stochastic quasilinear Volterra equations with quadratic performance functionals is then considered. Optimal stabilization is discussed and the filtering problem formulated. Finally, two methods of solving the optimal control problem for partly observable linear stochastic processes, also with quadratic performance functionals, are developed. Integrating the author's own research within the context of the current state-of-the-art of research in difference equations, hereditary systems theory and optimal control, this book is addressed to specialists in mathematical optimal control theory and to graduate students in pure and applied mathematics and control engineering.

Stability conditions for functional differential equations can be obtained using Lyapunov functionals. Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Functional Differential Equations describes the general method of construction of Lyapunov functionals to investigate the stability of differential equations with delays. This work continues and complements the author's previous book Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Difference Equations, where this method is described for difference equations with discrete and continuous time. The text begins with both a description and a delineation of the peculiarities of deterministic and stochastic functional differential equations. There follows basic definitions for stability theory of stochastic hereditary systems, and the formal procedure of Lyapunov functionals construction is presented. Stability investigation is conducted for stochastic linear and nonlinear differential equations with constant and distributed delays. The proposed method is used for stability investigation of different mathematical models such as: * inverted controlled pendulum; * Nicholson's blowflies equation; * predator-prey relationships; * epidemic development; and * mathematical models that describe human behaviours related to addictions and obesity. Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Functional Differential Equations is primarily addressed to experts in stability theory but will also be of interest to professionals and students in pure and computational mathematics, physics, engineering, medicine, and biology.

This book showcases a subclass of hereditary systems, that is, systems with behaviour depending not only on their current state but also on their past history; it is an introduction to the mathematical theory of optimal control for stochastic difference Volterra equations of neutral type. As such, it will be of much interest to researchers interested in modelling processes in physics, mechanics, automatic regulation, economics and finance, biology, sociology and medicine for all of which such equations are very popular tools. The text deals with problems of optimal control such as meeting given performance criteria, and stabilization, extending them to neutral stochastic difference Volterra equations. In particular, it contrasts the difference analogues of solutions to optimal control and optimal estimation problems for stochastic integral Volterra equations with optimal solutions for corresponding problems in stochastic difference Volterra equations. Optimal Control of Stochastic Difference Volterra Equations commences with an historical introduction to the emergence of this type of equation with some additional mathematical preliminaries. It then deals with the necessary conditions for optimality in the control of the equations and constructs a feedback control scheme. The approximation of stochastic quasilinear Volterra equations with quadratic performance functionals is then considered. Optimal stabilization is discussed and the filtering problem formulated. Finally, two methods of solving the optimal control problem for partly observable linear stochastic processes, also with quadratic performance functionals, are developed. Integrating the author's own research within the context of the current state-of-the-art of research in difference equations, hereditary systems theory and optimal control, this book is addressed to specialists in mathematical optimal control theory and to graduate students in pure and applied mathematics and control engineering.

Hereditary systems (or systems with either delay or after-effects) are widely used to model processes in physics, mechanics, control, economics and biology. An important element in their study is their stability. Stability conditions for difference equations with delay can be obtained using a Lyapunov functional.
Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Difference Equations describes a general method of Lyapunov functional construction to investigate the stability of discrete- and continuous-time stochastic Volterra difference equations. The method allows the investigation of the degree to which the stability properties of differential equations are preserved in their difference analogues.
The text is self-contained, beginning with basic definitions and the mathematical fundamentals of Lyapunov functional construction and moving on from particular to general stability results for stochastic difference equations with constant coefficients. Results are then discussed for stochastic difference equations of linear, nonlinear, delayed, discrete and continuous types. Examples are drawn from a variety of physical systems including inverted pendulum control, study of epidemic development, Nicholson s blowflies equation and predator prey relationships.
Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Difference Equations is primarily addressed to experts in stability theory but will also be of use in the work of pure and computational mathematicians and researchers using the ideas of optimal control to study economic, mechanical and biological systems.

Stability conditions for functional differential equations can be obtained using Lyapunov functionals. Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Functional Differential Equations describes the general method of construction of Lyapunov functionals to investigate the stability of differential equations with delays. This work continues and complements the author's previous book Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Difference Equations, where this method is described for difference equations with discrete and continuous time. The text begins with both a description and a delineation of the peculiarities of deterministic and stochastic functional differential equations. There follows basic definitions for stability theory of stochastic hereditary systems, and the formal procedure of Lyapunov functionals construction is presented. Stability investigation is conducted for stochastic linear and nonlinear differential equations with constant and distributed delays. The proposed method is used for stability investigation of different mathematical models such as: * inverted controlled pendulum; * Nicholson's blowflies equation; * predator-prey relationships; * epidemic development; and * mathematical models that describe human behaviours related to addictions and obesity. Lyapunov Functionals and Stability of Stochastic Functional Differential Equations is primarily addressed to experts in stability theory but will also be of interest to professionals and students in pure and computational mathematics, physics, engineering, medicine, and biology.