Unique continuation results for certain generalized ray transforms of symmetric tensor fields

Let $I_{m}$ denote the Euclidean ray transform acting on compactly supported symmetric $m$-tensor field distributions $f$, and $I_{m}^{*}$ be its formal $L^2$ adjoint. We study a unique continuation result for the normal operator $N_{m}=I_{m}^{*}I_{m}$. More precisely, we show that if $N_{m}$ vanishes to infinite order at a point $x_0$ and if the Saint-Venant operator $W$ acting on $f$ vanishes on an open set containing $x_0$, then $f$ is a potential tensor field. This generalizes two recent works of Ilmavirta and M\"onkk\"onen who proved such unique continuation results for the ray transform of functions and vector fields/1-forms. One of the main contributions of this work is identifying t…