How does state transition matrix indicate time-varying system, but $A$ matrix is constant

dynamical systemslinear algebrasteady statetransition matrix

When I determine whether a linear dynamical system is time-varying or not by looking at the state transition matrix, I get confused by the following:

Normally, I look at the $A$ matrix to determine whether a system is time-varying. Obviously, if $A$ is a function of time $A(t)$, then it is time-varying, and if not, then it is not a time-varying system.

But, the state transition matrix looks like $\phi(t) = \mathcal{L}^{-1}[(sI-A)^-1]$. And then $\phi(t)$ turns out to be a function of time.

What I'm trying to understand is how the state transition matrix is a function of time, but the $A$ matrix is not? I am intuitively trying to rationalize this.

The state transition matrix indicates time-varying system, but $A$ matrix is constant? So is the system $\dot x(t)=\phi(t)x(t)$ time-varying or not?

Best Answer

Take a simple system $\dot{x} = x$, then $A=1$ and $\phi(t,t_0) = e^{t-t_0}$. That is $A$ is constant, but the system response is time varying. In general this will be the case unless $A=0$.

If you have $\phi(t,t_0)$ in general you have $\dot{\phi}(t,t_0) = A(t) \phi(t,t_0)$, or $A(t) = \phi(t,t_0)^{-1} \dot{\phi}(t,t_0) = \phi(t_0,t) \dot{\phi}(t,t_0)$, so you can determine if $A$ is time varying or not.

Addendum: It is not too hard to show that the system is time invariant iff $\phi(t,t_0) = \phi(t-t_0,0)$ for all $t,t_0$. A little more work shows that in this case $A$ is essentially constant.