A mixed type identification problem related to a phase-field model with memory (Q2465250)

The paper deals with an integro-differential system, that consists of a parabolic-type equation and a hyperbolic-type integro-differential equation. This system of equations is linked to phase transition models and describes the evolution of the temperature and of the order parameter via the Gurtin-Pipkin heat flux law. The equations are complemented by homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions for both variables. The main goal of the paper is the identification of the kernel entering the integro-differential equation under an additional information involving the temperature. The paper starts with some higher-order regularity results concerning the solutions to hyperbolic and parabolic problems in abstract spaces, followed by a careful study of the nonlinear term in the integro-differential system. These results are used later, to solve the initial identification problem locally in time, as well as to prove global uniqueness in time.