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Energy uniqueness for the wave Cauchy problem
Statement
Assume the Axiom of Countable Choice (The Axiom of Countable Choice ()). Let , and let be a classical solution of on with Cauchy data and differentiable displacement , so in the initial-energy hypothesis is defined, and assume the total energy has a finite initial value and is conserved in the sharp form for every , where . This holds, for instance, when the solution has fixed compact spatial support (by Conservation of total wave energy in three admissible settings(a) together with continuity of up to on the fixed support with its value given by the data density), or when the integrability hypotheses of that theorem's case (b) hold and has a continuous extension to with value equal to the displayed data energy.
(i) If the Cauchy data vanish, , then , hence for all , hence and is constant on for every ; the constant is the common limit of as , namely , so .
(ii) More generally, if and (equivalently under the conserved-solution hypotheses), then for every , where the displacement datum is then constant: the energy sees only , and the displacement datum fixes the residual spatial constant. Consequently, two classical solutions with equal Cauchy data in a class closed under differences, in which each difference has the stated sharp energy conservation, agree.
Facts & Assumptions
Given: ; a classical solution of on with Cauchy data and differentiable displacement , so in the initial-energy hypothesis is defined, whose total energy has the finite initial value and is conserved in the sharp form for ; the density of Wave energy density, energy flux and total energy.
In the whole-space settings (a) and (b), is constant on ; the hypothesis of this corollary records the sharp form in which that constant is the initial value, for all ; is the displayed data energy, not an assertion about endpoint derivatives. (Conservation of total wave energy in three admissible settings)
A nonnegative measurable function has integral exactly when it vanishes almost everywhere. (A nonnegative measurable function has integral exactly when it vanishes almost everywhere)
On an open convex set, a function with vanishing gradient is constant. (Vanishing gradient and time derivative force constancy on convex sets)
is convex as a subset of itself. (A convex subset of contains every line segment between two of its points)
The wave operator is linear in its argument, so a difference of two solutions of is again a solution. (Sums, scalar multiples, products and quotients: , , , and when , Wave equation, Cauchy data and wave speed)
Proof
Vanishing of the density: if (in particular if ), then [F1] gives for every . Since is continuous, [F2] makes it zero almost everywhere, hence everywhere: a positive value would persist on a ball of positive measure. The sum of squares then gives pointwise at every positive time.
Constancy: the space-time set is open and convex by [F4], so [F3] and step 1.1 make a single constant there. The displacement limit identifies this constant with for every . When , this proves clause (i).
General zero-energy data: if and , the displayed data energy is zero, so steps 1.1 and 2.1 show that equals the constant datum at every positive time. Conversely, if , those steps make a single constant with ; its Cauchy limits give constant and , hence . This proves clause (ii) and its equivalence without assuming continuity of or .
Uniqueness: for two solutions in the stated class with equal Cauchy data, is homogeneous by [F5] and has zero Cauchy limits. The class hypothesis supplies sharp conservation for , so clause (i) gives on . Their Cauchy extensions, defined at by the common displacement datum, also agree there; independently assigned endpoint values are not constrained by the Cauchy limits.
Depends on
- The Axiom of Countable Choice ($\mathrm{AC}_\omega$)
- Conservation of total wave energy in three admissible settings
- Vanishing gradient and time derivative force constancy on convex sets
- Wave equation, Cauchy data and wave speed
- Wave energy density, energy flux and total energy
- A nonnegative measurable function has integral $0$ exactly when it vanishes almost everywhere
- Sums, scalar multiples, products and quotients: $(f+g)'(c) = f'(c) + g'(c)$, $(\alpha f)'(c) = \alpha f'(c)$, $(fg)'(c) = f'(c)g(c) + f(c)g'(c)$, and $(f/g)'(c) = \bigl(f'(c)g(c) - f(c)g'(c)\bigr)/g(c)^{2}$ when $g(c) \ne 0$
- A convex subset of $\mathbb{R}^m$ contains every line segment between two of its points
- Sphere and ball measures scale in Rn
Used by
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Sources
- Gerald Teschl, Partial Differential Equations: From Classical to Modern (2025 archived author manuscript, AMS Graduate Studies in Mathematics) (standard reference, not scraped)
- Victor Ivrii, Partial Differential Equations (University of Toronto, 2018, CC BY-SA) (standard reference, not scraped)
- John K. Hunter, Notes on Partial Differential Equations (revised 18 June 2014, UC Davis) (standard reference, not scraped)