Empirical balanced truncation of nonlinear systems

Novel constructions of empirical controllability and observability gramians for nonlinear systems are proposed for subsequent use in a balanced truncation style of model reduction. The new gramians are based on a generalisation of the fundamental solution for a Linear Time-Varying system. Relationships between the given gramians for nonlinear systems and the standard gramians for both Linear Time-Invariant and Linear Time-Varying systems are established as well as relationships to prior constructions proposed for empirical gramians. Application of the new gramians is illustrated through a sample test-system.