A communications theory approach for electromagnetic inverse problems

A new approach to electromagnetic non destructive evaluation (E'NDE) is presented with reference to crack detection in conductive materials by eddy current testing. The key point is the development of a model for E'NDE that allows the original problem to be recast within the framework of digital communications over noisy channels. Consequently, methodologies and techniques originally developed in communications theory can also be applied to E'NDE. However, several questions have to be addressed in order to overcome the gaps between these two fields. Numerical results show the main features of this method.