A hybrid method for inverse boundary value problems in potential theory

Abstract

We describe a new method for solving an inverse Dirichlet problem for harmonic functions that arises in the mathematical modelling of electrostatic and thermal imaging methods. This method may be interpreted as a hybrid of a decomposition method, in the spirit of a method developed by Kirsch and Kress, and a regularized Newton method for solving a nonlinear ill-posed operator equation, in terms of the solution operator that maps the unknown boundary onto the solution of the direct problem. As opposed to the Newton iterations the new method does not require a forward solver. Its feasibility is demonstrated through numerical examples.