Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2014/iii/paper-7/2/b/solution

Fix the mixed Fourier transform convention
The spatial derivative transforms to , and multiplication by transforms to . Hence the transformed free transport equation is
Its characteristic equations for a transport equation give , so the characteristic ending at at time began at . Consequently
The same sign follows directly by substituting in the Fourier transform of . No first velocity moment is assumed, so the differential equation may be understood in the sense of tempered distributions; the explicit transform formula is valid pointwise because is integrable.

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