An Inverse Problem for the Relativistic Boltzmann Equation

TL;DR

This paper proves that the source-to-solution map for the relativistic Boltzmann equation uniquely determines the spacetime metric in a causally connected region, leveraging the equation's nonlinearity for the inverse problem.

Contribution

It establishes a uniqueness result for recovering the Lorentzian metric from measurements of the Boltzmann equation, utilizing the equation's nonlinearity.

Findings

Unique determination of the spacetime metric from source-to-solution data

Use of nonlinearity as a key tool in solving the inverse problem

Results apply to the maximal causally connected region between two points

Abstract

We consider an inverse problem for the Boltzmann equation on a globally hyperbolic Lorentzian spacetime $(M,g)$ with an unknown metric $g$. We consider measurements done in a neighbourhood $V\subset M$ of a timelike path $\mu$ that connects a point $x^-$ to a point $x^+$. The measurements are modelled by a source-to-solution map, which maps a source supported in $V$ to the restriction of the solution to the Boltzmann equation to the set $V$. We show that the source-to-solution map uniquely determines the Lorentzian spacetime, up to an isometry, in the set $I^+(x^-)\cap I^-(x^+)\subset M$. The set $I^+(x^-)\cap I^-(x^+)$ is the intersection of the future of the point $x^-$ and the past of the point $x^+$, and hence is the maximal set to where causal signals sent from $x^-$ can propagate and return to the point $x^+$. The proof of the result is based on using the nonlinearity of the Boltzmann equation as a beneficial feature for solving the inverse problem.