Unique Determination of Sound Speeds for Coupled Systems of Semi-linear Wave Equations

Abstract

We consider coupled systems of semi-linear wave equations with different sound speeds on a finite time interval $[0,T]$ and a bounded Lipschitz domain $\Omega$ in $\mathbb{R}^3$, with boundary $\partial\Omega$. We show the coupled systems are well posed for variable coefficient sounds speeds and short times. Under the assumption of small initial data, we prove the source to solutions map on $[0,T]\times\partial\Omega$ associated with the nonlinear problem is sufficient to determine the source-to-solution map for the linear problem. We can then reconstruct the sound speeds in $\Omega$ for the coupled nonlinear wave equations under certain geometric assumptions. In the case of the full source to solution map in $\Omega\times[0,T]$ this reconstruction could also be accomplished under fewer geometric assumptions.