Serre's reduction of linear functional systems

Serre's reduction aims at reducing the number of unknowns and equations of a linear functional system (e.g., system of partial differential equations, system of differential time-delay equations, system of difference equations). Finding an equivalent representation of a linear functional system containing fewer equations and fewer unknowns generally simplifies the study of its structural properties, its closed-form integration as well as of different numerical analysis issues. The purpose of this paper is to present a constructive approach to Serre's reduction for determined and underdetermined linear functional systems.