An optimal birth control problem for a dynamical population model with size-structure

This work is concerned with an optimal control problem for a size-structured population model, which takes fertility as the control variable. The existence and uniqueness of solutions to the basic state system and the dual system are proven via the Banach fixed point theorem. Necessary optimality conditions of first order are established in the form of an Euler-Lagrange system by the use of tangent-normal cone technique. The existence of a unique optimal controller is established by means of Ekeland's variational principle. An example and some comments are presented. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.