Stekloff eigenvalues in inverse scattering (Q2817440)

The paper is focused on the forward scattering problem for an inhomogeneous medium: find \(u\in C^2(\mathbb{R}^m\setminus \bar D)\cap C^1(\mathbb{R}^m\setminus D)\) such that NEWLINE\[NEWLINE\begin{cases} \Delta u+k^2 n(x) u=0\text{ in }\mathbb{R}^m,\\ u(x)=\exp(ikx\cdot d)+u^s(x),\\ \lim_{r\to\infty}r^{\frac{m-1}{2}}\left(\frac{\partial u^s}{\partial r}-iku^s\right)=0\text{ uniformly with respect to }\hat x:=x/|x|, \end{cases}NEWLINE\]NEWLINE where \(D\) is a bounded domain in \(\mathbb{R}^m\), \(m=2,3\), with the boundary \(\partial D\) of class \(C^2\) and \(0\in D\), \(r=|x|\), the refractive index \(n\in L^{\infty}(\mathbb{R}^m)\) satisfies \({\mathcal R}(n(x))>0\), \({\mathcal I}(n(x))\geq 0\), and \(n(x)=1\) for \(x\in\mathbb{R}^m\setminus \bar D\). The authors establish a connection between a modified far field operator \(\mathcal F\) and the Stekloff eigenvalues associated with this inhomogeneous medium. The kernel of \(\mathcal F\) is the difference of the measured far field pattern due to the scattering object and the far field pattern of an auxiliary scattering problem. The domain \(B\) for which the Stekloff boundary condition is imposed on its boundary, is the support of the scattering object or a ball containing the scattering object in its interior. In the case when the refractive index is real valued, the authors prove the existence of Stekloff eigenvalues and derive a relationship between small changes in the refractive index and the corresponding change in the Stekloff eigenvalue. They show how Stekloff eigenvalues can be determined from a far field equation associated with this modified far field operator. The non-self-adjoint Stekloff eigenvalue problem for a complex valued refractive index using Agmon's theory of non-self-adjoint eigenvalue problems is also investigated. A variety of numerical examples which show the effectiveness of determining changes to the refractive index are finally presented.