Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2012/iii/paper-7/2/c/solution

Let be the position at time of the characteristic curve satisfying and . Smooth uniqueness implies . Differentiating in the initial point gives the variational equation
The Liouville formula for a fundamental matrix, or the derivative formula for a determinant, therefore gives
Because , the mixed second derivatives cancel and . The initial Jacobian determinant is one, so
Thus this Hamiltonian flow preserves planar Lebesgue measure. This calculation assumes smoothness as in the part; a rough-flow conclusion later must be justified by approximation rather than by differentiating a merely continuous velocity.

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