While the prediction of observations is a forward problem, the use of actual observations to infer the properties of a model is an inverse problem. Inverse problems are difficult because they may not have a unique solution. The description of uncertainties plays a central role in the theory, which is based on probability theory. This book proposes a general approach that is valid for linear as well as for nonlinear problems. The philosophy is essentially probabilistic and allows the reader to understand the basic difficulties appearing in the resolution of inverse problems. The book attempts to explain how a method of acquisition of information can be applied to actual real-world problems, and many of the arguments are heuristic.

Parameter Estimation and Inverse Problems, Third Edition, is structured around a course at New Mexico Tech and is designed to be accessible to typical graduate students in the physical sciences who do not have an extensive mathematical background. The book is complemented by a companion website that includes MATLAB codes that correspond to examples that are illustrated with simple, easy to follow problems that illuminate the details of particular numerical methods. Updates to the new edition include more discussions of Laplacian smoothing, an expansion of basis function exercises, the addition of stochastic descent, an improved presentation of Fourier methods and exercises, and more. - Features examples that are illustrated with simple, easy to follow problems that illuminate the details of a particular numerical method - Includes an online instructor's guide that helps professors teach and customize exercises and select homework problems - Covers updated information on adjoint methods that are presented in an accessible manner

Inverse Problem Theory is written for physicists, geophysicists and all scientists facing the problem of quantitative interpretation of experimental data. Although it contains a lot of mathematics, it is not intended as a mathematical book, but rather tries to explain how a method of acquisition of information can be applied to the actual world.The book provides a comprehensive, up-to-date description of the methods to be used for fitting experimental data, or to estimate model parameters, and to unify these methods into the Inverse Problem Theory. The first part of the book deals with discrete problems and describes Maximum likelihood, Monte Carlo, Least squares, and Least absolute values methods. The second part deals with inverse problems involving functions.The book is almost completely self-contained, with all important concepts carefully introduced. Although theoretical concepts are strongly emphasized, the author has ensured that all the useful formulas are listed, with many special cases included. The book will thus serve equally well as a reference manual for researchers needing to refresh their memories on a given algorithm, or as a textbook in a course for undergraduate or graduate students.

Provides a basic understanding of both the underlying mathematics and the computational methods used to solve inverse problems.

... A diskette with the updated programme of Appendix C and examples is available through the author at a small fee. email: [email protected] fax: 1--310--825--5435 ... This book systematically discusses basic concepts, theory, solution methods and applications of inverse problems in groundwater modeling. It is the first book devoted to this subject. The inverse problem is defined and solved in both deterministic and statistic frameworks. Various direct and indirect methods are discussed and compared. As a useful tool, the adjoint state method and its applications are given in detail. For a stochastic field, the maximum likelihood estimation and co-kriging techniques are used to estimate unknown parameters. The ill-posed problem of inverse solution is highlighted through the whole book. The importance of data collection strategy is specially emphasized. Besides the classical design criteria, the relationships between decision making, prediction, parameter identification and experimental design are considered from the point of view of extended identifiabilities. The problem of model structure identification is also considered. This book can be used as a textbook for graduate students majoring in hydrogeology or related subjects. It is also a reference book for hydrogeologists, petroleum engineers, environmental engineers, mining engineers and applied mathematicians.

This book studies methods to concretely address inverse problems. An inverse problem arises when the causes that produced a given effect must be determined or when one seeks to indirectly estimate the parameters of a physical system. The author uses practical examples to illustrate inverse problems in physical sciences. He presents the techniques and specific methods chosen to solve inverse problems in a general domain of application, choosing to focus on a small number of methods that can be used in most applications. This book is aimed at readers with a mathematical and scientific computing background. Despite this, it is a book with a practical perspective. The methods described are applicable, have been applied, and are often illustrated by numerical examples.

Inverse problems are immensely important in modern science and technology. However, the broad mathematical issues raised by inverse problems receive scant attention in the university curriculum. This book aims to remedy this state of affairs by supplying an accessible introduction, at a modest mathematical level, to the alluring field of inverse problems. Many models of inverse problems from science and engineering are dealt with and nearly a hundred exercises, of varying difficulty, involving mathematical analysis, numerical treatment, or modelling of inverse problems, are provided. The main themes of the book are: causation problem modeled as integral equations; model identification problems, posed as coefficient determination problems in differential equations; the functional analytic framework for inverse problems; and a survey of the principal numerical methods for inverse problems. An extensive annotated bibliography furnishes leads on the history of inverse problems and a guide to the frontiers of current research.