Abstract

In this paper, we develop a μ-analysis for nonnegative matrices and apply the results to analyse robust stability of positive linear continuous-time systems under arbitrary affine parameter perturbations. It is shown that real and complex stability radii of positive systems coincide for arbitrary affine perturbation structures, in particular for block-diagonal disturbances. Estimates and computable formulae are derived for these stability radii. The results hold for arbitrary perturbation norms induced by absolute vector norms (e.g. p-norms, 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞).