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arXiv · 2606.09020

On an $n-$Dimensional Travel Time Tomography Problem

Michael V. Klibanov
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Abstract

In their seminal works Herglotz (1905) and Wiechert and Zoeppritz (1907) have solved the so-called Travel Time Tomography Problem (TTTP) in the 1-D case. However, the question about stability estimates and uniqueness theorems for an n-D n>= 2 TTTP with formally determined incomplete input data still mostly stands open after more than one hundred years period. \textquotedblleft Formally determined input data" means that the number p of free variables in the input data equals the number $n$ of free variables in the unknown right hand side of the governing nonliniear eikonal PDE, p=n. Some previous publications demonstrate that it is possible to develop well performed numerical methods for the TTTP with formally determined input data, which indicates the importance of such data for practical applications. This is the first publication in which the above question is addressed. More precisely, we consider a semi-discrete case, in which a PDE generated by the eikonal equation is written in finite differences with respect to n-1 variables. In addition, it is assumed that the solution of that semi-discrete PDE is represented via a truncated Fourier-like series with respect to a special orthonormal basis of functions, which depend only on the position of the point source. Under these conditions, Lipschitz stability estimate is proven, and this estimate implies uniqueness. An important tool of this paper is a new Carleman estimate. Carleman Weighted Spaces are introduced. Carleman estimates were not applied previously to address questions about stability estimates and uniqueness theorems for the TTTP.

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Michael V. Klibanov. 2026-06-08. On an $n-$Dimensional Travel Time Tomography Problem. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.09020

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