Identification of unknown diffusion coefficient in pure diffusive linear model of chronoamperometry. I. The theory

Coefficient identification problem for diffusion equation u _t (x, t) = (D(x)u _x (x, t)) _x arising in chronoamperometry is studied. The adjoint problem approach is developed for the case when the output measured data is given in the form of left/right flux. Analytical formulas for determination of the values D(0), D(L) at the endpoints x = 0; L, of the unknown coefficient D(x), via the solution v(x, t) of the constant coefficient equation v _t (x, t) = D v _xx (x, t) is obtained. The integral identity relating solutions of the forward and corresponding adjoint problems is derived. This integral identity permits one to prove the monotonicity and invertibility of input-output map, as well as formulate the gradient of the cost functional via the solutions of the direct and adjoint problems.