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For $t\in \mathbb{R}$, define the set functionalThe ROF level-set formulation states that the unique minimizer of $J(u)=\Vert u-f{\Vert }_2^2/2+\alpha \mathrm{TV}(u)$ has superlevel sets minimizing $F_t$ for almost every $t$. Conversely, an admissible $u$ with minimizing superlevel sets is the ROF minimizer. Thus the concise characterization is

The signed layer-cake identity for quadratic fidelity and the coarea formula for BV functions giveIndeed $u^2/2-fu={\int }_{\mathbb{R}}(t-f)({\chi }_{\{u>t\}}-{\chi }_{\{0>t\}})dt$ pointwise. Its absolute integral is bounded by $u^2/2+|fu|$, so Fubini's theorem applies for $u,f\in L^2$. The negative-level baseline is essential; integrating the unadjusted $F_t$ would generally diverge.

Each $F_t$ attains its minimum. A minimizing sequence of indicator functions has bounded $L^1$ norm, and comparison with the empty set bounds its perimeter by an $L^1$ forcing bound. Bounded-variation compactness supplies a limiting indicator function. The forcing integral converges by dominated convergence, while relative perimeter is sequentially lower semicontinuous.

For $s<t$, the supplied comparison lemma applied to $(f-t)/\alpha <(f-s)/\alpha$ makes every selected minimizer $A_t$ contained in $A_s$ up to a null set. The comparison of perimeter minimizers with ordered forcing also follows directly: compare $A_t$ with $A_t\cap A_s$, compare $A_s$ with $A_t\cup A_s$, add and use submodularity of relative perimeter to obtain $(t-s)|A_t\setminus A_s|\le 0$.

Select minimizers at rational levels, remove their countably many exceptional null sets, and reconstruct $v(x)=\sup \{q\in \mathbb{Q}:x\in A_q\}$. The strict superlevel set is $\{v>t\}={\bigcup }_{q>t}{A}_q$. This union also minimizes $F_t$: take $q\downarrow t$, use monotone $L^1$ convergence of its indicator functions and sequential lower semicontinuity, and note that $m(t)={\min }_E{F}_t(E)$ satisfies $|m(t)-m(s)|\le |\Omega ||t-s|$.

To justify finite energy before assuming it, clip this reconstruction to $v_M\in [-M,M]$. Comparison with the empty set gives $\alpha \mathrm{Per}(E_t;\Omega )\le {\int }_{\Omega }|t-f|$ uniformly on a bounded interval of levels. Since $v_M=-M+{\int }_{-M}^M{\chi }_{E_t}dt$, pairing with compactly supported test-field divergences bounds its total variation seminorm by ${\int }_{-M}^M\mathrm{Per}(E_t;\Omega )dt<\infty$. Thus $v_M$ belongs to the BV space before applying the coarea formula for BV functions. The layer-cake argument on the finite interval $[-M,M]$ shows $J(v_M)\le J(T_{M}w)$ for every finite-energy competitor $w$, where $T_M$ is clipping. In particular $w=0$ bounds the $L^2$ norms and variations uniformly. Fatou's lemma excludes infinite values of $v$ on a positive-measure set. Bounded-variation compactness and weak convergence in $L^2$ identify an admissible limit $v$. For any fixed competitor, $T_{M}w\to w$ in $L^2$ and its variation tends to that of $w$, by bounded-variation contraction under clipping and sequential lower semicontinuity. Thus $J(v)\le J(w)$.

The quadratic fidelity is strictly convex, so every ROF minimizer equals $v$ almost everywhere and has the selected minimizing superlevel sets. Conversely, for any $u$ whose levels minimize $F_t$, integrate the levelwise inequality against any competitor's levels in the displayed identity to obtain $J(u)\le J(w)$. This proves both directions for signed as well as nonnegative data.

The scalar ROF denoising minimizer has perimeter-plus-forcing minimizing superlevel sets at almost every height. Conversely any finite-energy function with that property minimizes the full energy. The signed layer-cake identity for quadratic fidelity and coarea formula for BV functions prove sufficiency. To prove necessity, construct nested minimizing sets using comparison of perimeter minimizers with ordered forcing, reconstruct a function from rational levels, clip to establish energy bounds, and use uniqueness from strict convexity of the squared fidelity.