 BDF2 discrete energy identity

For three vectors $a,b,c$ in an inner product space, expansion of each squared norm provesTherefore the second-order backward differentiation formula $3U^{n+2}-4U^{n+1}+U^n=2kL{U}^{n+2}$ with a dissipative operator $L$ decreases the discrete energy ${\mathcal{E}}_n=\Vert U^{n+1}{\Vert }^2+\Vert 2U^{n+1}-U^n{\Vert }^2$. This quadratic form is equivalent to the product norm of the two time levels with constants independent of $k$ and $L$. It proves uniform stability even when amplification roots of a polynomial coalesce inside the unit disk, where an eigenvector-separation proof may lose its bound.