SFU MOCAD Seminar: Angèle Niclas

Abstract: This presentation introduces a multi-frequency approach to reconstructing width defects in elastic waveguides. Unlike conventional inverse methods, our approach exploits resonant frequencies, at which the governing propagation equations become ill-conditioned. By analyzing the forward problem at these frequencies, we derive a WKB approximation that characterizes the wavefield associated with each propagating mode. We then use this approximation to solve the inverse problem, enabling stable reconstruction of width defects from partial wavefield measurements. We demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our approach through numerical experiments, comparisons with existing methods, and experimental validations. Finally, we discuss ongoing work and potential applications to wave propagation in the cochlea and cornea.

Angèle Niclas is a visiting researcher through the MathOcean France–Canada program.