Quasi Differential Quotients

Abstract

We explore basic properties and some applications of Quasi Differential Quotients ($QDQ$s) and the related $QDQ$-approximating multi-cones. A $QDQ$, which is a special kind of H.Sussmann's Approximate Generalized Differential Quotient ($AGDQ$), consists in a notion of generalized differentiation for set-valued maps. $QDQ$s have the advantage over $AGDQ$s of allowing a genuine, non-punctured, Open Mapping result, so implying stronger set-separation theorems. They have already proved quite useful in the investigation of some connections occurring between infimum gap phenomena and the normality of minima. Moreover, $QDQ$-approximating multi-cones are fit in optimal control to deduce Maximum Principles that involve (set-valued) Lie brackets of nonsmooth vector fields.