Estimation of parameters appearing in the level set evolution equation

Level sets are a robust and flexible mathematical framework for the representation of evolving curves and surfaces. At the heart of the level set approach is the PDE governing the evolution of the level set function describing a particular surface. In this paper we address the question of estimating parameters in that PDE, given knowledge of the curve evolution. In practice, this procedure could be useful for formulating low-order models of complex physical phenomena. One possible area of application is thin film manufacturing processes such as etching and deposition. Level set methods are already in use in this area for topography simulation. The parameter estimation approach presented consists of a geometrical measure of the distance between the estimated and measured curves, and an expression for the gradient of that distance with respect to the unknown parameters