Uniqueness in a one-dimensional problem of finding a time-dependent potential (Q5932623)

The one-dimensional initial-boundary value problem \[ \begin{aligned} &u_{tt} - u_{xx} + a(x,t)u = 0,\quad x, y > 0, \\ &u(x,0;s) = u_t(x,0;s) = 0,\quad x > 0, \\ &u_x(0,t;s) = - \delta(t - s),\quad t > 0, \end{aligned} \] is considered in \(\mathbb R^2_+\), where \(a(x,t)\) is a continuous function, \(s\) is a positive parameter. The inverse problem reads: Find a potential \(a(x,t)\) in the case when the function \(g(t,s) = u(0,t;s)\), \(s, t > 0\), is given. The main result of the article is as follows: Theorem 1. The function \(g(t,s)\), \(0 < s, t < T\), uniquely determines a time-dependent potential \(a(x,t)\) in the triangle \(\{(x,t)\mid 0 < x < T/2\), \(x < t < T - x\}\).