Uniqueness in an inverse problem of fractional elasticity

Abstract

We study a nonlinear inverse problem for fractional elasticity. In analogy to the classical problem of linear elasticity, we consider the unique recovery of the Lamé parameters associated with a linear, isotropic fractional elasticity operator from fractional Dirichlet-to-Neumann data. In our analysis, we make use of a fractional matrix Schrödinger equation via a generalization of the so-called Liouville reduction to the case of fractional elasticity. We conclude that unique recovery is possible if the Lamé parameters agree and are constant in the exterior, and their Poisson ratios agree everywhere. Our study is motivated by the significant recent activity in the field of nonlocal elasticity.