Solution of A Hyperbolic Inverse Problem by Linearization (Q4713355)

The investigated problem originates from seismic exploration of earth. As a simplified mathematical model the earth \(X\subset\mathbb{R}^ n\) is supposed to consist of two layers separated by a smooth reflector \(Z\). A wave \(u(t,x)\) travelling through \(X\) satisfies an acoustic wave equation \[ \Delta u-\alpha^ 2\partial_ t^ 2u=0. \] The goal is to determine the location of \(Z\) and the size of the jump of \(\alpha\) at \(Z\) from traces of waves measured at the surface of \(X\). The inversion procedure for \(\alpha^ 2\) involves a formal linearization of the coefficients-to- solutions map and a high frequency approximation using a backprojection operator. The main theorem shows that the singularities of the approximation are directly related to \(Z\) and the size of the jump of \(\alpha\) across \(Z\). The proof is based on concepts of microlocal analysis.