On the solvability of direct and inverse problems for a generalized diffusion equation

Abstract

Abstract This paper delves into both direct and two inverse source problems associated with a diffusion equation featuring integral convolution over time, while considering non-classical boundary conditions. The inverse source problems are shown to exhibit ill-posed characteristics in accordance with Hadamard’s definition. A bi-orthogonal function system is employed to express series solutions for the inverse source problems. By imposing specific conditions on the provided data, we establish the existence of unique series solutions. Several special cases of the diffusion equation are presented, depending on the nature of the memory kernel. Furthermore, to illustrate the findings regarding inverse source problems, we provide specific examples.