Reconstruction of functions from their triple correlations (Q1419674)

In the first part of this paper, the authors consider functions \(f\in L^1(\mathbb{R})\). The \(k\)-deck of \(f\) with \(k= 2,3,\dots\) is a higher-order autocorrelation function defined by \[ N_f(x_1,\dots, x_{k-1})= \int f(t)\,f(t+ x_1)\cdots f(t+ x_{k-1})\,dt. \] Using Fourier technique, it is shown that in many cases a function \(f\geq 0\) can be reconstructed up to translations if the \(3\)-deck \(N_f\) is given. Negative results of this reconstruction problem are presented, too. Note that this problem is a generalization of the phase retrieval problem where one has to reconstruct \(f\) knowing only the modulus of its Fourier transform. In the second part, the authors consider the corresponding discrete reconstruction problem for \(n\)-periodic sequences. Here discrete Fourier transforms are applied.