
Section 6.2 Right-hand side identification in the case of parabolic equation 175
6.2 Right-hand side identification in the case of a parabolic
equation
Below, we consider an inverse problem in which it is required to reconstruct the right-
hand side of a one-dimensional parabolic equation from the known solution. Specific
features of the problem are discussed, related with the evolutionary character of the
problem and with the possibility to sequentially determine the right-hand side with
increasing time.
6.2.1 Model problem
As a model problem, consider the problem in which it is required to reconstruct the
right-hand side of a one-dimensional parabolic equation. Let us begin the considera-
tion with the statement of the direct problem.
The solution u(x, t) is defined in the rectangle
Q
T
= × [0, T ], ={x | 0 ≤ x ≤ l}, 0 ≤ t ≤ T.
The function u(x, t) satisfies the equation
∂u
∂t
=
∂
∂x
k(x)
∂u
∂x
+ f (x, t), 0 < x < l, 0 < t ≤ T (6.45)
under the standard constraint k(x) ≥ κ>0.
For simplicity, homogeneous boundary and initial conditions are assumed:
u(0, t) = 0, u(l, t) = 0, 0 < t ≤ T, (6.46)
u(x, 0) = 0, 0 ≤ x ≤ l. (6.47)
In the direct problem (6.45)–(6.47), the solution u(x, t) is to be found from the
known coefficient k(x) and from the known right-hand side f (x, t). In the inverse
problem, the unknown quantity is the right-hand side f (x, t) (source power), with
the solution u(x, t) assumed known. The right-hand side can be calculated by the
following explicit formula obtained from (6.45):
f (x, t) =
∂u
∂t
−
∂
∂x
k(x)
∂u
∂x
, 0 < x < l, 0 < t ≤ T. (6.48)
The input data are given with some inaccuracy; this circumstance makes the direct
use of formula (6.48) difficult. Most significant here is the effect resulting from the
solution inaccuracy. Let us know, instead of the exact solution u(x, t) of problem
(6.45)–(6.47), a perturbed solution u
δ
(x, t), and in some norm the parameter δ defines
the inaccuracy level in the solution, i. e.,
u
δ
(x, t) − u(x, t )≤δ. (6.49)