
Section 8.4 Coefficient inverse problem for the nonlinear parabolic equation 395
parametric optimization are discussed. Primary attention is paid to the construction
and realization of computational algorithms.
8.4.1 Statement of the problem
In many applied problems, there arises a problem in which it is required to identify
coefficients in a partial differential equation. Coefficient inverse problems for second-
order parabolic equations are typical of heat- and mass-transfer problems and problems
encountered in hydrogeology. The inverse problems in which it is required to identify
coefficients in linear equations are nonlinear problems. The latter circumstance sub-
stantially hampers the construction of computational algorithms for the approximate
solution of coefficient problems and makes complete and rigorous substantiation of
their convergence hardly possible. That is why the emphasis here is placed on maxi-
mum possible approbation of numerical methods aimed at obtaining most informative
solution examples for inverse problems.
Very often, of primary interest are problems in which it is required to find nonlinear
coefficients that depend on the solution. Let us formulate a simplest of such a problem.
Suppose that 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(u)
∂u
∂x
= 0, 0 < x < l, 0 < t ≤ T. (8.132)
We assume that k(u) ≥ κ>0. Consider the boundary value problem with the first-
kind boundary conditions
u(0, t) = 0, u(l, t) = g(t), 0 < t ≤ T (8.133)
and the homogeneous initial conditions
u(x, 0) = 0, 0 ≤ x ≤ l. (8.134)
The direct problem is formulated in the form (8.132)–(8.134).
In the coefficient inverse problem, the unknown function k(u) is to be found, for
instance, from additional observations performed at some internal points z
m
∈ ,
m = 1, 2,...,M. Considering the fact that these data are given inaccurate, we put
u(z
m
, t) ≈ ϕ
m
(t), 0 < t ≤ T, m = 1, 2,...,M. (8.135)
It is required to find the functions u(x, t) and k(u) from the conditions (8.132)–(8.135).
In the consideration of coefficient inverse problems similar to problem (8.132)–
(8.135), much attention is paid to problems of solution unicity in the case of exact