Function Parametrization - a Fast Inverse Mapping Method

Function parametrization (FP) is a method to invert computer models that map physical parameters describing the state of a physical system onto measurements. It find a mapping of the measurements onto the physical parameters that requires little computing time to evaluate. The major advantages of FP over other analysis methods are: it is quite general; it is fast, allowing real-time control of experiments; it allows a thorough error analysis; it can provide insight into the structure of the computer program used to model the experiment; it can be used to analyze sets of dissimilar measurements; it can be used to study the adequacy of certain new measurements for determination of specific physical parameters. FP is tested on the reconstruction of plasma equilibria from magnetic measurements. As a result, some important parameters describing the plasma state are shown to be recoverable in a fast and reliable manner.