On complete integrals and uniqueness in shape from shading (Q1907093)

The problem of reconstructing the shape of a smooth object from the brightness variations (shading) showing up in its monochrome photographic reproduction is considered. This shape-from-shading problem corresponds to solving the so-called image irradiance equation \[ R(u_x(x, y), u_y(x, y))= E(x, y)\quad\text{for}\quad (x, y)\in \Omega, \] where \(\Omega\) is a domain in \(\mathbb{R}^3\), \(R\) is a known function called reflectance map, \(E\) is a given reference image and \(u(x, y)\) is the image depth at the point \((x, y)\in \Omega\). A typical instance of this equation results on the eikonal equation \(u_x(x, y)^2+ u_y(x, y)^2= E(x, y)^{- 2}- 1\). The author uses this applicational background to analyze and illustrate the apparently widespread erroneous claim that every solution of a first-order partial differential equation can be given in terms of a complete integral, a general integral or a singular integral. A uniqueness result given by another author, whose argument is based on this erroneous claim, is corrected.