A Weak Invariance Principle and Asymptotic Stability for Evolution Equations with Bounded Generators

If V is a Lyapunov function of an equation du/dt u’ Zu in a Banach space thenasymptotic stability of an equilibrium point may be easily proved if it is known that sup(V’) < 0 onsufficiently small spheres centered at the equilibrium point. In this paper weak asymptotic stability isproved for a bounded infinitesimal generator Z under a weaker assumption V’ < 0 (which aloneimplies ordinary stability only) if some observability condition, involving Z and the Frechet derivativeof V’, is satisfied. The proof is based on an extension of LaSalle’s invariance principle, which yieldsconvergence in a weak topology and uses a strongly continuous Lyapunov funcdon. The theory isillustrated with an example of an integro-differential equation of interest in the theory of chemicalprocesses. In this case strong asymptotic stability is deduced from the weak one and explicit sufficientconditions for stability are given. In the case of a normal infinitesimal generator Z in a Hilbertspace, strong asymptotic stability is proved under the following assumptions Z* + Z is weaklynegative definite and Ker Z 0 }. The proof is based on spectral theory.