An inverse polynomial method for the identification of the leading coefficient in the Sturm–Liouville operator from boundary measurements

An inverse polynomial method of determining the unknown leading coefficient k=k(x) of the linear Sturm–Liouville operator Au=−(k(x)u^′(x))^′+q(x)u(x), x(0,1), is presented. As an additional condition only two measured data at the boundary (x=0,x=1) are used. In absence of a singular point (u^′(x)≠0,u^″(x)≠0,x[0,1]) the inverse problem is classified as a well-conditioned . If there exists at least one singular point, then the inverse problem is classified as moderately ill-conditioned (u^′(x₀)=0,x₀(0,1);u^′(x)≠0,x≠x₀;u^″(x)≠0,x[0,1]) and severely ill-conditioned (u^′(x₀)=u^″(x₀)=0,x₀(0,1);u^′(x)≠0,u^″(x)≠0,x≠x₀). For each of the cases direct problem solution is approximated by corresponding polynomials and the inverse problem is reformulated as a Cauchy problem for to the first order differential equation with respect the unknown function k=k(x). An approximate analytical solution of the each Cauchy problems are derived in explicit form. Numerical simulations all the above cases are given for noise free and noisy data. An accuracy of the presented approach is demonstrated on numerical test solutions.