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For $u_t+u_{xxx}=0$ on $x>0$, define $V(x,p)={\int }_0^{\infty }{R}_p(x-y)u_0(y)dy$ and let $G$ be the time Laplace transform of $u_x(0,t)$. The transformed solution with spatial decay isOnly one characteristic root has negative real part, so one scalar boundary derivative fixes the remaining homogeneous mode. The Bromwich inversion formula supplies an integral representation involving only the initial and boundary data. For general linear differential equations on a half-line, the number and form of the necessary boundary data depend on the decaying spatial roots; Fokas and Wang study the corresponding boundary maps for linear dispersive equations.

For the linear dispersive Stokes equation on $x>0$, with sufficiently smooth decaying initial data and $\mathrm{Re}p>0$, define $V(x,p)={\int }_0^{\infty }{R}_p(x-y)u_0(y)dy$ and let $G(p)$ be the time Laplace transform of the prescribed derivative $u_x(0,t)$. Spatial decay and the one-dimensional decaying homogeneous space giveThe Neumann boundary condition follows by differentiating at zero. The initial forcing follows from the Stokes resolvent kernel with advection. The Bromwich inversion formula gives an integral representation with no unknown boundary traces. Truncating or extending the prescribed boundary signal beyond a target time does not affect earlier values, by the Laplace transform time-shift rule and causality of this Green function.

An integral representation expresses a function through an integral of specified data and an integral kernel. Green-function representations solve differential equations this way, while the Bromwich inversion formula reconstructs a function from its Laplace transform.

A simple fluid reduces to a linear viscoelastic fluid when its deformation and rotation over the relevant memory interval are small enough to linearize the constitutive history about an isotropic relaxed state. Small amplitude is essential; small frequency is not. For example, arbitrarily high-frequency oscillation can still be linear if its strain amplitude is sufficiently small. The relaxation modulus $G(t)$ is the shear-stress response to a unit small step of shear strain.

Choose the harmonic convention $e^{i\omega t}$. If the imposed shear rate is $\mathrm{Re}(\hat{\dot{\gamma }}{e}^{i\omega t})$, the corresponding shear stress is $\mathrm{Re}({\eta }^{\ast }(\omega )\hat{\dot{\gamma }}{e}^{i\omega t})$. Substitution into the constitutive convolution gives the complex viscosity:For a nondecaying elastic part this formula is understood through the limit from a positive Laplace damping parameter. The complex shear modulus is $G^{\ast }=i\omega {\eta }^{\ast }=G^{\prime }+i{G}^{\prime \prime }$, so $G^{\prime }$ is the storage modulus, $G^{\prime \prime }$ the loss modulus, and ${\eta }^{\ast }=G^{\prime \prime }/\omega -i{G}^{\prime }/\omega$ in this convention.

Creep is the progressive deformation produced by a held stress. For a small step $S_{0}H(t)$ of shear stress, define the creep compliance $J$ by $\gamma (t)=S_{0}J(t)$ from a relaxed state. Writing hats for Laplace transforms, the same constitutive law gives $\hat{S}=p\hat{G}\hat{\gamma }$. Since $\hat{S}=S_0/p$, this yieldsHere $H$ is the Heaviside step function. Inversion determines the full creep response, including any instantaneous elastic strain jump. Equivalently, the causal relaxation/creep convolution includes that jump through ${\int }_{0^{-}}^{t}G(t-s)dJ(s)=1$ for $t>0$.

For the Maxwell fluid, $\hat{G}(p)=G_0/(p+1/\tau )$. Thus the two material responses areThe creep response is an elastic jump followed by constant-rate viscous deformation. The zero-frequency shear viscosity is $\eta =G_0\tau$.

For the wall problem, take $v=u(y,t)e_x$ and denote the shear component of stress by $S$. The incompressibility constraint is satisfied, and the advective part of the material derivative vanishes because no field depends on $x$. With no imposed longitudinal pressure gradient, momentum conservation and the linear Maxwell law giveThe initial conditions are $u=S=0$ in $y>0$; the no-slip boundary condition is $u(0,t)=UH(t)$, with decay as $y\to \infty$. Transforming these equations givesChoose the analytic square-root branch in $\mathrm{Re}p>0$ with $\mathrm{Re}q>0$, so that the spatially increasing solution is excluded. The Maxwell start-up shear layer consequently hasThe Bromwich inversion formula now givesThe vertical Bromwich contour is directed upward and lies to the right of all singularities, including the origin and the branch points at $0$ and $-1/\tau$. A cut joining these branch points is a possible continuation into the left half-plane; inversion only requires the stated right-half-plane branch.

The Newtonian limit holds $\eta =G_0\tau$ fixed while $\tau \to 0$, so $G_0\to \infty$. Then $q(p)\to \sqrt{\rho p/\eta }$. With $\nu =\eta /\rho$, the inverse Laplace transform gives the complementary error function profileThis is diffusive momentum penetration in a Newtonian fluid, with thickness of order $\sqrt{\nu t}$.

The elastic limit instead holds $G_0$ fixed while $\tau \to \infty$. Write $c=\sqrt{G_0/\rho }$. On the chosen branch, $q(p)\to p/c$, so the Laplace transform time-shift rule yieldsAn elastic shear front travels at speed $c$: the material ahead is at rest, while that behind moves at the wall speed. Indeed the limiting displacement is $d(y,t)=U(t-y/c)H(t-y/c)$, whose shear strain is $d_y=-(U/c)H(t-y/c)$. A nonzero pointwise velocity gradient at the front is interpreted distributionally, or by smoothing the ideal wall start.

The use of linear viscoelasticity is conditional, rather than automatically justified for arbitrary $U$. The material derivative simplifying to a time derivative does not remove the nonlinear constitutive effects of finite shear strain. In this Maxwell problem the rapid elastic response supplies the natural strain scale $U/c=U\sqrt{\rho /G_0}$, which must be small for linearization through start-up. Away from the front, the strain accumulated over an effective memory interval must likewise be small. In the late diffusive regime its characteristic size is $\tau U/\sqrt{\nu t}$, which decreases with time. Large absolute wall displacement $Ut$ alone is not a disqualification for a fluid with finite memory; it is relative deformation during that memory that matters. In the elastic limit, where memory does not decay, the explicit strain behind the front confirms the condition $U/c\ll 1$. Without such a small-strain restriction, the computed field is a formal linear response and need not describe an arbitrary simple fluid.

Use the one-sided Laplace transform $F(s)={\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-st}f(t)dt$. Since $f=0$ on $[0,1)$, substitution gives $\mathcal{L}[f(t+1)](s)=e^{s}F(s)$. ThusIts poles are $s=0$ and $s_n=-\log 2+2\pi in$, with residues of $e^{st}F(s)$ respectively two and $2e^{s_{n}t}/s_n$. For $t>1$ close the Bromwich inversion formula to the left, using horizontal heights avoiding those poles. The left-side integrand decays like $e^{st}/s$, and on the right-side horizontal ends like $e^{s(t-1)}/s$, so the added integrals vanish with the usual symmetric limiting contour. The residue theorem giveswhere the series is summed symmetrically and at jumps has the midpoint value.

For $t<1$ the vanishing can be checked directly in the inversion integral, rather than inferred from the recurrence. On any vertical line $\Re s=c>0$ expand the denominator geometrically, uniformly there:Each inversion term is $2^{1-j}(2\pi i{)}^{-1}{\int }_{c-i\infty }^{c+i\infty }{e}^{s(t-j-1)}ds/s$. If $t<1$, close this contour to the right: the exponential decays, and the pole at zero is outside, so every term is zero. Equivalently the geometric expansion bounds the full closing contour by the same decaying factors. Thus $f(t)=0$ for $t<1$.

The same integral gives $f(t)=2{\sum }_{j\ge 0}{2}^{-j}H(t-j-1)$ elsewhere. For $m<t<m+1$ with integer $m\ge 1$, this is $4(1-2^{-m})$, which directly verifies the difference equation. Neither a Laplace transform nor a Fourier series determines values at isolated jumps; the printed series fixes the standard convention $H(0)=1/2$, including $f(1)=1$.

By the Bromwich inversion formula, for $t>0$ and $\gamma >0$,Close the upward vertical segment by a left semicircle of radius $R$ centred at $\gamma$. On that arc $\mathrm{Re}s\le \gamma$, so $|e^{st}|\le e^{\gamma t}$, while $|s^2(s+1{)}^2|$ is bounded below by a constant times $R^4$ for large $R$. Its length is $\pi R$, hence the arc integral tends to zero as $O(R^{-3})$. The contour is positively oriented and encloses the double poles at $0$ and $-1$.

Their residues areandThe residue theorem therefore yieldsThe value at zero follows by continuity and is $f(0)=0$.

For $t>0$, use the Bromwich inversion formula with a vertical contour $\mathrm{Re}s=c>0$:Close the contour to the left, where the exponential decays. The large-arc contribution tends to zero by the usual exponential arc estimate, and the two simple poles are at $s=ia$ and $s=-ia$. The residues of the complete integrand are $e^{iat}/2$ and $e^{-iat}/2$. The residue theorem therefore givesThe right limit at zero is one. The sign of nonzero real $a$ has no effect on the answer.

Use the Bromwich inversion formula in the real variable $\omega$, with $p=\gamma +i\omega$:When the relevant Laplace transforms and spatial integral transforms are explicit, every sample of this integrand can be evaluated directly, without a time-stepping approximation to the partial differential equation. Split the initial condition integral at $y=x$: the two pieces of $R_q$ are linear combinations of $e^{\pm qy}$, so truncated spatial exponential transforms suffice. For real data the negative-frequency half is the complex conjugate of the positive-frequency half.

A practical numerical integration is to truncate to $|\omega |\le \Omega$, apply an adaptive quadrature rule, and independently increase $\Omega$ and refine the quadrature. Choose $\gamma >0$ large enough to remain to the right of all singularities, but avoid an unnecessarily large $e^{\gamma t}$. Evaluate hyperbolic function ratios in scaled form; for example,This prevents overflow when $\mathrm{Re}qL$ is large. The boundary contributions at an interior point are damped by $e^{-x\mathrm{Re}q}$ or $e^{-(L-x)\mathrm{Re}q}$, with $\mathrm{Re}q\sim \sqrt{|\omega |/2}$. Near an endpoint more frequencies are needed; at the endpoint itself use the prescribed Dirichlet boundary condition. The initial condition resolvent has a generally only $O(1/\omega )$ tail. Treat its oscillatory tail accurately, subtract a known transform with the same leading term, or evaluate that contribution separately with the heat kernel.

An equally useful check is the eigenfunction expansion. DefineThe causal modal formula isIt follows either from the heat kernel formula or directly from integration by parts against a sine eigenfunction. Exponential-transform formulas evaluate the time integral explicitly when available. The initial condition contribution has a Gaussian function cutoff in $n$ for each positive time. Nonzero endpoint forcing produces a more slowly convergent sine series tail. A boundary lifting $\ell (x,t)=(1-x/L)g_0(t)+(x/L)e^{aL}h(t)$ gives $w=\ell +z$, where $z$ has zero Dirichlet boundary conditions and forcing $-{\ell }_t-a^2\ell$; expanding $z$ gives better convergence and imposes the endpoint values exactly. At very small times the method of images is often more efficient than retaining many modes.

Check convergence by increasing both the frequency cutoff and quadrature resolution, and compare with a separately truncated causal modal or image-kernel evaluation. Causality in finite-time Laplace contour inversion means a leftward contour deformation must respect both resolvent operator poles and growth of the transformed data. In particular, the transform of data extended by zero after $T$ can grow like $e^{-pT}$ in the left half-plane: for $t<T$ one cannot close that contour indiscriminately and discard its large arc. The modal forcing integral with upper limit $t$ avoids this causality error.

Put $a=\alpha /2$ and apply the Dirichlet gauge transform for constant drift $w(x,t)=e^{ax}u(x,t)$. Taking derivatives directly removes the advection term and gives the damped heat equation $w_t=w_{xx}-a^{2}w$. Thus $w_0(y)=e^{ay}{u}_0(y)$, while the two Dirichlet boundary conditions become $w(0,t)=g_0(t)$ and $w(L,t)=e^{aL}h(t)$.

The Dirichlet heat kernel on an interval and its damped version areThe method of images gives an alternative, often better at short times:To determine the boundary signs, multiply the equation for $w$ by the backward heat kernel $K_a(x,y,t-s)$ and use integration by parts in $y$. Since the kernel vanishes at $y=0,L$, the surviving boundary expression is $K_{a,y}(x,0,t-s)g_0(s)-K_{a,y}(x,L,t-s)e^{aL}h(s)$. Consequently an integral representation containing only the given data isThis is a Dirichlet boundary-forcing heat-kernel formula. For $0<x<L$ the short-time Gaussian decay makes the forcing integral well defined. The endpoint values are interior limits of the complete formula: evaluating a termwise sine series at an endpoint before taking the time integral loses the nonzero boundary values. At the initial corners a continuous classical solution requires $u_0(0)=g_0(0)$ and $u_0(L)=h(0)$; otherwise the same formula describes the solution away from those corners.

Here is a second integral representation, useful when the integral transforms are explicit. Extend $g_0,h$ by zero after $T$; the values of the extension cannot affect a solution at $t<T$. Write their Laplace transforms as $G(p),H(p)$ and set $q=\sqrt{p+a^2}$ using the principal square root. The transformed Dirichlet Green function for $-{\partial }_x^2+q^2$ isIt vanishes at both endpoints and its first derivative in $x$ jumps by $-1$, which verifies the sign of its unit source. The resolvent kernel for Dirichlet advection-diffusion on an interval gives the transformed solutionThe Bromwich inversion formula therefore yieldsThe square-root notation creates no genuine branch singularity here: all three kernels are even in $q$. Their only spatial resolvent operator poles are $p=-a^2-q_n^2$. This transformed formula and the causal heat kernel formula represent the same solution in the usual smooth-data class.

Use a time Laplace transform and a spatial Green function. The first-order transport term must be retained: the Airy resolvent kernel for ${\partial }_x^3+p$ alone would solve a different equation. The governing linear partial differential equation is the linear dispersive Stokes equation, distinct from the viscous-fluid Stokes equation.

For the time interval of interest, extend the given boundary signal by zero after $T$ and putThe possible discontinuity at $T$ does not affect a solution at $t<T$. Equivalently, use any sufficiently regular continuation beyond $T$: the resulting causal Green function produces the same earlier solution. We seek the usual solution with spatial decay and a time transform, rather than an unrestricted spatially growing solution on the half-line.

Writing $Q(x,p)$ for the time Laplace transform, the Laplace transform of a derivative givesThe corresponding characteristic roots are the three roots of a polynomialFor $\mathrm{Re}p>0$, label the unique root of negative real part by $r_{-}(p)$, and the two roots of positive real part by $r_1(p),r_2(p)$. This spatial root splitting for the dispersive Stokes resolvent is easily checked: if $r=ik$, then $p=-i(k-k^3)$ is imaginary, so no root crosses the imaginary axis as $p$ varies in the right half-plane. For real $p>0$ the cubic is strictly increasing on the real line and has one negative real root, while its conjugate pair has positive real parts. The root count remains the same throughout that connected half-plane. A repeated root would satisfy $3r^2+1=0$ and again put $p$ on the imaginary axis. All roots are therefore simple there, and $r_{-}(p)$ is a nonzero holomorphic function.

Set $d_j=3r_j^2+1$, including $j=-$. Define the Stokes resolvent kernel with advectionThe sign on the negative half-line is essential. To verify the Green function, use the partial fraction decompositionIts expansion at infinity yields the reciprocal-polynomial root identitiesConsequently $R_p$ and $R_p^{\prime }$ are continuous at zero, and $R_p^{\prime \prime }$ has jump one. Each piece solves the homogeneous ordinary differential equation, so the jump conditions for a third-order Green function imply, in the sense of distributional derivatives,Both pieces decay in their respective spatial directions.

Now defineIt satisfies the transformed inhomogeneous equation. The difference $Q-V$ solves the homogeneous linear ordinary differential equation; spatial decay leaves only $e^{r_{-}x}$. Imposing the Neumann boundary condition fixes its coefficient, giving the half-line Stokes solution with a boundary derivativeNo division by a vanishing root is involved, since $r_{-}=0$ would require $p=0$. Moreover the remaining boundary trace is explicitly known from $q_0$:Thus introduce the completely explicit initial-data kernelFor any upward Bromwich contour $\mathrm{Re}p=\sigma >0$ to the right of any transform singularities, the requested integral representation isThe contour integral is understood in the standard Bromwich inversion formula sense, with truncation limits if it is not absolutely convergent. Every term is expressed in the supplied data and algebraic characteristic roots; there are no unknown Dirichlet or second-derivative boundary traces.

The transformed equation verifies the linear partial differential equation and the initial term, while taking the spatial derivative gives $Q_x(0,p)=G(p)$. Bromwich inversion formula therefore supplies the prescribed derivative for $0<t<T$ and the initial value for $x>0$. For zero initial and boundary data, the transformed solution is a decaying homogeneous mode with zero boundary derivative, hence vanishes; this proves uniqueness in the stated transform/decay class. A change of the boundary continuation after $T$ has transform $e^{-pT}$ times another causal transform and contributes only after $T$, by the Laplace transform time-shift rule. The printed dot on $q_0$ is interpreted as its derivative in its sole variable $x$, so the stated corner compatibility is $q_0^{\prime }(0)=g_1(0)$. Additional differentiability at the corner requires the corresponding higher-order compatibility, but is not needed for the representation at positive $x,t$.

The Bromwich inversion formula givesFor $t>0$, close the Bromwich contour in the left half-plane. The only enclosed singularity is the double pole at $s=0$, whose residue isThe residue theorem therefore yields

Apply the time Laplace transform to the Airy equation. Extend $g$ past $T$ in any suitable way and writeFor example, setting $g=0$ after $T$ makes $G(p)={\int }_0^T{e}^{-pt}g(t)dt$; the final solution for $t<T$ is independent of this extension. The Laplace transform of a derivative givesTake the principal cube root $\lambda =p^{1/3}$ for $\mathrm{Re}p>0$. The three characteristic roots of the spatial ordinary differential equation areSince $|\arg \lambda |<\pi /6$, only $-\lambda$ has negative real part. Thus spatial decay leaves just one homogeneous exponential, which the single prescribed Neumann boundary condition determines.

The Airy resolvent kernel on the whole real line isIt decays at both ends, is continuous together with its first derivative, and satisfies $R_p^{\prime \prime }(0+)-R_p^{\prime \prime }(0-)=1$. Consequently $({\partial }_s^3+p)R_p={\delta }_0$ as a distribution. A particular solution is the Green-function representationAdding the decaying homogeneous mode to impose the boundary derivative givesEvery term is known. If ${\tilde{u}}_0(r)={\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-ry}{u}_0(y)dy$ denotes the spatial Laplace transform, thenThe Bromwich inversion formula now gives the required integral representation:Here $\gamma >0$ is to the right of any singularities required by the growth of the data. The usual decay or growth hypotheses are understood for this Laplace transform construction; when absolute inversion is unavailable, the vertical integral is interpreted as the limit of truncated Bromwich contours. The transformed ordinary differential equation verifies the partial differential equation and initial condition, while differentiating at $x=0$ gives exactly $G(p)$ and hence $u_x(0,t)=g(t)$. The derivative compatibility $u_0^{\prime }(0)=g(0)$ makes the two data agree at the corner.

For $f(t)=\sin \omega t$,The Bromwich inversion formula givesWhen $t>x/c$, close the contour to the left. The residues at $p=\pm i\omega$ sum to $\sin (\omega (t-x/c))$. When $t<x/c$, close it to the right, where there are no poles, and the integral vanishes. HenceEquivalently, $y(x,t)=\Theta (t-x/c)\sin (\omega (t-x/c))$ in terms of the Heaviside step function. The boundary oscillation travels to the right at wave speed $c$ without reflection or dispersion; a point at $x$ begins moving after the propagation delay $x/c$.

Laplace transform. Use $Y(p)={\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-pt}y(t)dt$. The initial value is zero and the Dirac delta contributes $e^{-p}$, so the transformed equation is $pY+Y=e^{-p}$. Therefore

Bromwich inversion. The Bromwich inversion formula iswith the vertical Bromwich contour traversed upwards and its symmetric improper limit understood. For $t>1$, close to the left, where the exponential decays; the enclosed simple pole at $p=-1$ has residue $e^{-(t-1)}$. For $t<1$, close to the right, which contains no pole. Thuswhere $\Theta$ is the Heaviside step function. This agrees with the Laplace transform time-shift rule. At $t=1$, inversion returns the average $1/2$ of the two one-sided values. The value assigned at that single point does not affect the differential equation in the distributional sense.

Fourier transform. State the convention explicitly:The Fourier transform of the distributional derivative is $ik\tilde{y}(k)$, including the jump at $t=1$. The Dirac delta has transform $e^{-ik}$, giving

Inverse Fourier integral. Substitute into the inverse Fourier transform:The only pole is at $k=i$. For $t>1$, close in the upper half-plane. Jordan's lemma removes the large arc and the residue theorem gives $i{\mathrm{Res}}_{k=i}=i[e^{-(t-1)}/i]=e^{-(t-1)}$. For $t<1$, close in the lower half-plane, where there are no poles, giving zero. This reproducesIntegrating the differential equation across the impulse checks the unit jump, $y(1^{+})-y(1^{-})=1$. Away from the impulse the solution obeys $y^{\prime }=-y$, and it satisfies the stipulated zero past.

Now the inverse integrand can be writtenFor $0<\lambda <1/2$, the exponent has a positive real time parameter. Close the Bromwich contour to the left; the residue at $s=-1$ is $\frac{1}{2}(2\lambda )=\lambda$. For $1/2<\lambda <1$, close to the right, where there are no poles. The reversed orientation there still gives zero. ConsequentlyThe same result follows from the Laplace transform time-shift rule: $H(s)=\frac{1}{2}{e}^{-s\log 2}/(s+1)$ corresponds to $f(t)=e^{-t}\Theta (t-\log 2)$, where $\Theta$ is the Heaviside step function.

The original transform cannot fix a value at the single point $\lambda =1/2$. The Bromwich inversion formula chooses the average of the limiting values $1/2$ and zero, giving $\boxed{h(1/2)=1/4}$ under that convention. Indeed,regardless of the assigned value at the jump.

For a piecewise continuous function of exponential order on $t\ge 0$, its unilateral Laplace transform isThe Bromwich inversion formula, at a point of continuity, isThe Bromwich contour is a straight vertical line, traversed upwards, with $\gamma$ to the right of the abscissa of convergence and hence of all singularities of the transform. Under the usual piecewise smoothness assumptions, at a jump the symmetric inversion limit gives the mean of the two one-sided values.

In the transform in the question, put $\lambda =e^{-t}$. Then $d\lambda =-e^{-t}dt$ andThus the restricted Mellin transform on the unit interval is the Laplace transform of $f(t)=h(e^{-t})$. Apply the Bromwich inversion formula with $t=-\log \lambda$, where $0<\lambda <1$, to obtainHere $\gamma$ lies in the convergence half-plane of $H$. At a discontinuity this formula has the same mean-value interpretation. The real natural logarithm defines ${\lambda }^{-s}$ unambiguously.

The one-sided Laplace transform is $\bar{f}(p)={\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-pt}f(t)dt$. Its Bromwich inversion formula is $f(t)=(2\pi i{)}^{-1}{\int }_{\gamma -i\infty }^{\gamma +i\infty }{e}^{pt}\bar{f}(p)dp$, with an upward vertical contour to the right of all singularities and within the appropriate convergence half-plane.

To derive the convolution theorem for Laplace transforms, transform $x(t)={\int }_0^{t}f(\tau )g(t-\tau )d\tau$. With $u=t-\tau \ge 0$, the triangular integration region becomes a quadrant. Fubini's theorem gives $\bar{x}(p)={\int }_0^{\infty }{\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-p(u+\tau )}f(\tau )g(u)dud\tau =\bar{f}(p)\bar{g}(p)$, under the usual absolute convergence hypotheses. Inversion gives the required convolution formula.

For the differential equation, the transformed initial conditions give $(p^2-1)\bar{y}=\bar{g}+p+1$, hence $\bar{y}=\bar{g}/(p^2-1)+1/(p-1)$. Since $\mathcal{L}[\sinh t]=1/(p^2-1)$ for $\mathrm{Re}p>1$, the convolution yieldsThe integral and its first derivative vanish at zero, so the homogeneous term supplies both initial values. Differentiating twice gives the forcing through the unit derivative of the hyperbolic-sine kernel at zero.

The unilateral Laplace transform is $\bar{f}(p)={\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-pt}f(t)dt$ in its region of absolute convergence of a Laplace transform. Under the usual inversion hypotheses, the Bromwich inversion formula isThe vertical Bromwich contour is directed upward, with $c$ inside the transform's convergence half-plane and to the right of all its singularities. At discontinuities the standard symmetric inversion gives the mean of the one-sided values.