Inverse boundary problems for polyharmonic operators with unbounded potentials

We show that the knowledge of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map on the boundary of a bounded open set in $R^n$ for the perturbed polyharmonic operator $(-\Delta)^m +q$ with $q\in L^{n/2m}$, $n>2m$, determines the potential $q$ in the set uniquely. In the course of the proof, we construct a special Green function for the polyharmonic operator and establish its mapping properties in suitable weighted $L^2$ and $L^p$ spaces. The $L^p$ estimates for the special Green function are derived from $L^p$ Carleman estimates with linear weights for the polyharmonic operator

Generalized backscattering and the Lax-Phillips transform

Using the free-space translation representation (modified Radon transform) of Lax and Phillips in odd dimensions, it is shown that the generalized backscattering transform (so outgoing angle $\omega =S\theta$ in terms of the incoming angle with $S$ orthogonal and \Id-S invertible) may be further restricted to give an entire, globally Fredholm, operator on appropriate Sobolev spaces of potentials with compact support. As a corollary we show that the modified backscattering map is a local isomorphism near elements of a generic set of potentials.Comment: Minor changes, typos corrected, references adde