 Uniqueness of Sobolev weak solutions of a wave equation

For the weak energy solution of a variable-coefficient wave equation, uniqueness can be proved without using $u_t$ as a spatial $H_0^1$ test function. For a difference with zero data, fix $s$ and test by $v(t)={\int }_t^{s}u(r)dr$ for $t<s$, extended by zero afterwards. Put $z(t)={\int }_0^{t}u(r)dr$, so $v(t)=z(s)-z(t)$. Integration by parts in time for the symmetric principal form, and in space for the first-order terms, giveFor short enough intervals the last term is absorbed. The Gronwall inequality forces $u=0$, and repetition proves uniqueness on the full interval. This antiderivative test is valid at the stated space-time $H^1$ regularity, unlike an unqualified direct energy test by $u_t$.