Rigorous numerics for piecewise-smooth systems: A functional analytic approach based on Chebyshev series

In this paper, a rigorous computational method to compute solutions of piecewise-smooth systems using a functional analytic approach based on Chebyshev series is introduced. A general theory, based on the radii polynomial approach, is proposed to compute crossing periodic orbits for continuous and discontinuous (Filippov) piecewise-smooth systems. Explicit analytic estimates to carry the computer-assisted proofs are presented. The method is applied to prove existence of crossing periodic orbits in a model nonlinear Filippov system and in the Chua’s circuit system. A general formulation to compute rigorously crossing connecting orbits for piecewise-smooth systems is also introduced.