An inverse source problem in radiative transfer

Abstract The spherical-harmonics method is used to develop a solution to an inverse source problem in radiative transfer. It is assumed that, with the exception of the inhomogeneous source term, all aspects of the radiation-transport problem are known, and we seek to determine the inhomogeneous source term from specified angular distributions of radiation exiting the two surfaces of a homogeneous plane-parallel medium. Anisotropic scattering is included in the monochromatic radiative-transfer model and general reflecting boundary conditions are considered.