Double-logarithmic stability for a parabolic inverse problem on CTA manifolds

Abstract

We establish a double-logarithmic stability estimate for the recovery of a time-dependent potential in the parabolic equation $(c^{-1}\partial_t-Δ_g+q)u=0$ on a conformally transversally anisotropic manifold. The partial input--output map associates an initial state and lateral Dirichlet data supported in a prescribed open set with the terminal state and the Neumann trace on another open set. These sets contain the positive and negative boundary parts determined by a limiting Carleman weight, respectively. The measurement discrepancy is the operator norm of the difference of two such maps, whose range has improved Sobolev regularity. We prove stability under a uniform stability assumption for the attenuated geodesic ray transform on a family of non-tangential geodesics. This assumption is verified when the transversal manifold is simple and for regular families on certain non-simple manifolds. The proof uses Gaussian beam quasimodes with a uniform $O(h^{1/2})$ concentration estimate, geometric optics solutions obtained from boundary Carleman estimates, and stability of the geodesic ray transform for small attenuation. Quantitative analytic continuation for Hilbert-space-valued Fourier transforms and Sobolev interpolation yield the double-logarithmic modulus.