Contact geometry in optimal control of thermodynamic processes for gases

We solve an optimal control problem for thermodynamic processes in an ideal gas. The thermodynamic state is given by a Legendrian manifold in a contact space. Pontryagin’s maximum principle is used to find an optimal trajectory (thermodynamic process) on this manifold that maximizes the work of the gas. In the case of ideal gases, it is shown that the corresponding Hamiltonian system is completely integrable and its quadrature-based solution is given.