Learning dynamics on invariant measures using PDE-constrained optimization

Abstract

We extend the methodology in Yang et al. [SIAM J. Appl. Dyn. Syst. 22, 269–310 (2023)] to learn autonomous continuous-time dynamical systems from invariant measures. The highlight of our approach is to reformulate the inverse problem of learning ODEs or SDEs from data as a PDE-constrained optimization problem. This shift in perspective allows us to learn from slowly sampled inference trajectories and perform uncertainty quantification for the forecasted dynamics. Our approach also yields a forward model with better stability than direct trajectory simulation in certain situations. We present numerical results for the Van der Pol oscillator and the Lorenz-63 system, together with real-world applications to Hall-effect thruster dynamics and temperature prediction, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.