On Characterization of Inverse Data in the Boundary Control Method

TL;DR

This paper characterizes the inverse problem of recovering a potential function in a PDE from boundary measurements using the boundary control method, providing necessary and sufficient conditions for solvability.

Contribution

It offers a complete characterization of the inverse data in the boundary control method for a PDE, including necessary and sufficient conditions for solution existence.

Findings

Provides necessary and sufficient conditions for the inverse problem

Characterizes the response operator in terms of boundary data

Solves the inverse problem using the boundary control method

Abstract

We deal with a dynamical system \begin{align*} & u_{tt}-\Delta u+qu=0 && {\rm in}\,\,\,\Omega \times (0,T)\\ & u\big|_{t=0}=u_t\big|_{t=0}=0 && {\rm in}\,\,\,\overline \Omega\\ & \partial_\nu u = f && {\rm in}\,\,\,\partial\Omega \times [0,T]\,, \end{align*} where $\Omega \subset {\mathbb R}^n$ is a bounded domain, $q \in L_\infty(\Omega)$ a real-valued function, $\nu$ the outward normal to $\partial \Omega$, $u=u^f(x,t)$ a solution. The input/output correspondence is realized by a response operator $R^T: f \mapsto u^f\big|_{\partial\Omega \times [0,T]}$ and its relevant extension by hyperbolicity $R^{2T}$. Ope\-rator $R^{2T}$ is determined by $q\big|_{\Omega^T}$, where $\Omega^T:=\{x \in \Omega\,|\,\,{\rm dist\,}(x,\partial \Omega)<T\}$. The inverse problem is: Given $R^{2T}$ to recover $q$ in $\Omega^T$. We solve this problem by the boundary control method and describe the {\it ne\-ces\-sary and sufficient} conditions on $R^{2T}$, which provide its solvability.