Delay and Memory-Type Null Controllability for Heat Equations in Finite Dimensions

Abstract: We study null controllability for linear heat-type systems in finite dimensions that incorporate both memory and time-delay effects. A strengthened notion of controllability, referred to as delay and memory-type null controllability, is introduced, which requires the state, the memory functional, and the delayed history to vanish at the terminal time. Using a duality approach, we establish an augmented observability inequality for the adjoint system and show its equivalence to controllability. In the finite-dimensional setting, this leads to sharp necessary and sufficient algebraic rank conditions extending the classical Kalman criterion to systems with memory and delay.