| Abstract: | In the paper, we first deduce an optimization problem from an inverse problem for a general operator equation and prove that the optimization problem possesses a unique, stable solution that converges to the solution of the original inverse problem, if it exists, as a regularization factor goes to zero. Secondly, we apply the above results to an inverse problem determining the spatially varying coefficients of a second order hyperbolic equation and obtain a necessary condition, which can be used to get an approximate solution to the inverse problem. |
