Null controllability in a fluid-solid structure model

Abstract

We consider a system coupling the Stokes equations in a two-dimensional domain with a structure equation which is a system of ordinary differential equations corresponding to a finite dimensional approximation of equations modeling deformations of an elastic body or vibrations of a rigid body. For that system we establish a null controllability result for localized distributed controls acting only in the fluid equations and there is no control in the solid part. This controllability result follows from a Carleman inequality that we prove for the adjoint system.