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The Malgrange–Ehrenpreis theorem states that every nonzero constant-coefficient linear differential operator on Euclidean space has a distributional fundamental solution. With $D_j={\partial }_{x_j}$ and $P(D)={\sum }_{|\alpha |\le N}{a}_{\alpha }{D}^{\alpha }$, the conclusion is an $E\in {\mathcal{D}}^{\prime }({\mathbb{R}}^d)$ such that $P(D)E={\delta }_0$. If $N=0$, simply take $E=a_0^{-1}{\delta }_0$; hence assume $N\ge 1$.

We construct a Hörmander staircase in frequency space. The highest-degree homogeneous part $P_N$ is not identically zero on real vectors, since a polynomial vanishing on all real vectors has all coefficients zero. After an orthogonal transformation of coordinates, we can arrange that $P_N(e_1)\ne 0$. Thus, for each real ${\xi }^{\prime }\in {\mathbb{R}}^{d-1}$, the polynomialhas degree $N$ in $z$ and the same nonzero leading coefficient $b=i^N{P}_N(e_1)$, independent of ${\xi }^{\prime }$. This constant leading coefficient of a polynomial is what makes a uniform staircase possible.

For a fixed ${\xi }^{\prime }$, factor $p(z,{\xi }^{\prime })=b{\prod }_{\nu =1}^N(z-z_{\nu })$, counting repeated roots of a polynomial. Consider the $N+1$ heights $h_j=3j$, $j=0,\dots ,N$. A given root has imaginary part within distance less than one of at most one of these heights. By the pigeonhole principle, some height avoids every root, and thenThis is finite-height polynomial root avoidance. Root labels need not be chosen continuously or even measurably. Instead define the closed setsContinuity in $s$ extends the inequality from rational $q$ to every real $s$. These Borel sets partition ${\mathbb{R}}^{d-1}$. The Hörmander staircase assigns the horizontal contour $s+i{h}_j$ over $A_j$; its height is bounded by $3N$, and the denominator has the uniform lower bound $|b|$. For $d=1$, the transverse space is a single point and only one horizontal contour is needed.

Use the Fourier transform convention $\hat{\phi }(\zeta )=\int e^{-ix\cdot \zeta }\phi (x)dx$, with inverse factor $(2\pi {)}^{-d}$. Define the candidate fundamental solution of a linear differential operator byFor a test function supported in a fixed compact set $K$, Fourier decay in a bounded complex strip gives, for any integer $M$,Indeed, this is the real Fourier transform of $e^{-h_j{x}_1}\phi (x)$ with reversed frequency, and repeated integration by parts with $(1-\Delta {)}^M$ proves the estimate. Taking $2M>d$ and using the denominator bound proves absolute convergence and a continuity estimate on ${\mathcal{D}}_K$. Thus $E$ is a distribution; no unsupported interpretation of a divergent inverse Fourier transform is being used.

For its distributional derivatives, the formal transpose of a differential operator is $P(-D)$. Sinceapplying $P(D)$ cancels the denominator. For each fixed ${\xi }^{\prime }$, the numerator is an entire function of $z$. The Cauchy integral theorem, applied to a rectangle between the lines $\mathrm{Im}z=0$ and $\mathrm{Im}z=h_j$, givesThe two vertical edges tend to zero by the same bounded-strip decay. The resulting contour deformation is performed separately for each transverse frequency, so discontinuities of the staircase height introduce no additional boundary terms. Absolute convergence permits integration over the partition $A_j$. The Fourier inversion theorem then yieldsThis proves the Malgrange–Ehrenpreis theorem. Undoing the orthogonal change of coordinates gives the fundamental solution of a linear differential operator for the original operator; the Dirac delta distribution is unchanged by that change of coordinates.

For a one-dimensional operator $L=P(D)$ of degree $N\ge 1$, with leading coefficient $a_N$, we may choose the single staircase contour below every pole. Take $\gamma >\max \{\mathrm{Re}\lambda :P(\lambda )=0\}$ and integrate on $\mathrm{Im}\zeta =-\gamma$. The corresponding formula is the Bromwich contour version of the construction above, after putting $\lambda =i\zeta$. Its poles all lie above the frequency contour. For $x<0$, close that contour downwards; the exponential function $e^{ix\zeta }$ decays and there are no enclosed poles. For $x>0$, close upwards, where the exponential function again decays, and apply the residue theorem. The bound $1/P(i\zeta )=O(|\zeta {|}^{-N})$ justifies the large arcs, including $N=1$ by the Jordan lemma away from their endpoints. Thus away from $x=0$ the retarded fundamental solution is $H(x)u(x)$, whereThe sum is over distinct roots of a polynomial, with the residue including the whole multiplicity. For simple characteristic roots of a constant-coefficient differential equation, it reduces to $u(x)={\sum }_{\lambda }{e}^{\lambda x}/P^{\prime }(\lambda )$. Repeated roots give exponential polynomial solutions of a constant-coefficient differential equation through differentiation of $e^{zx}$.

To establish the equality also at the origin, rather than leave a possible point-supported term undecided, verify the distributional jump formula for a Heaviside product. The residue expression is an entire function of $x$, andIts initial derivatives areThese identities follow by integrating over a large circle: for $j\le N-2$ the integrand is $O(|z{|}^{-2})$, whereas for $j=N-1$ its coefficient of $z^{-1}$ is $a_N^{-1}$. The distributional jump formula for a Heaviside product therefore gives $L(Hu)={\delta }_0$. Moreover, since $e^{-\gamma x}Hu$ is a tempered distribution, its Fourier transform satisfiesThere are no real zeros of this polynomial, so its reciprocal is the transform. This is exactly the shifted-contour construction, proving equality there as a distribution as well. HenceThe sign of $a_N$ matters: for the operator in the preceding solution, $a_N=-1$ and the last initial derivative is $-1$.

Give $\mathcal{O}(U)$ the compact-open topology, that is, uniform convergence on compact subsets. Put $R(z)=(z1-x{)}^{-1}$. Choose a finite oriented contour $\Gamma$ in $U\setminus \sigma (x)$ with winding number one on $\sigma (x)$ and zero outside $U$; boundaries of a finite union of sufficiently small rectangles around the compact spectrum provide such a contour. Define the holomorphic functional calculus byThe integral is a Bochner integral along the piecewise smooth contour. It is independent of the admissible contour by the Cauchy integral theorem, since the resolvent is holomorphic off the spectrum. In particular, restricting $f$ to a smaller open spectral neighborhood leaves its value unchanged.

Linearity is immediate, andproves continuity for the compact-open topology. For the constant and coordinate functions, move the corresponding resolvent integrals to a large circle. The norm-convergent expansion $R(z)={\sum }_{n\ge 0}{x}^n{z}^{-n-1}$ there gives ${\Theta }_x(1)=1$ and ${\Theta }_x(u)=x$.

To check multiplication, take two nested admissible contours, with $z$ on the outer one and $w$ on the inner one. The resolvent identity givesIn the double integral for ${\Theta }_x(f){\Theta }_x(g)$, the term with $R(w)$ integrates in $z$ to $f(w)R(w)g(w)$ by the Cauchy integral formula. The term with $R(z)$ integrates in $w$ to zero, because $z$ lies outside the inner region. Thus ${\Theta }_x(fg)={\Theta }_x(f){\Theta }_x(g)$. Nested regions can be chosen with closures inside $U$, so the argument also handles disconnected $U$ and contours with several boundary components.

For uniqueness, use the following form of the Runge theorem: rational functions whose poles lie outside an open set $U$ are dense in $\mathcal{O}(U)$ for uniform convergence on compact subsets; polynomials are included, with a pole at infinity allowed. This follows by a Runge exhaustion of $U$; no connectedness of $U$ is required. Any unital algebra homomorphism sending $u$ to $x$ must send $(u-a{)}^{-1}$ to $(x-a1{)}^{-1}$ for $a\notin U$. Consequently it agrees with the constructed map on every such rational function. Continuity and density give uniqueness. This is continuity and uniqueness of holomorphic functional calculus.

For the holomorphic spectral mapping theorem, first suppose $\mu \notin f(\sigma (x))$. The reciprocal $g=1/(f-\mu )$ is holomorphic on some smaller open neighborhood $V$ of $\sigma (x)$, even if it is not holomorphic on all of $U$. Restriction consistency and multiplicativity on $V$ show that ${\Theta }_x(g)$ is an inverse of ${\Theta }_x(f)-\mu 1$. Thus $\sigma ({\Theta }_x(f))\subseteq f(\sigma (x))$.

Conversely, if $\lambda \in \sigma (x)$, thenis holomorphic on $U$, with the singularity at $\lambda$ removed. HenceIn a commutative algebra, an invertible product has invertible factors. The displayed product cannot be invertible because $x-\lambda 1$ is not. Therefore

For the operator conclusion, work over complex scalars and let $\sigma (T)=K_1\cup K_2$ be a partition into disjoint nonempty compact sets. To apply the preceding commutative-algebra result precisely, take the closed unital subalgebra of $\mathcal{B}(X)$ generated by $T$ and all its resolvents $(zI-T{)}^{-1}$, $z\notin {\sigma }_{\mathcal{B}(X)}(T)$. The generators commute, so this is a resolvent-generated commutative algebra. Its spectrum of $T$ is exactly the operator spectrum: every resolvent outside the latter was included, and an inverse inside the subalgebra would also be an inverse in $\mathcal{B}(X)$.

Choose disjoint open neighborhoods $U_1,U_2$ of $K_1,K_2$, and let $f$ equal one on $U_1$ and zero on $U_2$. The corresponding Riesz projection $P=f(T)$ satisfiesThe last spectrum is computed in the chosen commutative algebra and already ensures $P\ne 0,I$. Its range $Y=PX=\ker (I-P)$ is closed, nonzero and proper. The commutation identity makes it invariant under $T$. This proves that a disconnected spectrum yields a nontrivial invariant subspace. Using all resolvents avoids inadvertently replacing the operator spectrum by the possibly larger spectrum in a polynomial-generated subalgebra.

For $u\in {\mathcal{E}}^{\prime }$, choose a cutoff function $\chi =1$ on a neighborhood of its support. Its extension to smooth functions makesindependent of the choice of cutoff. For real frequency, the definition of the distributional Fourier transform gives $F(\lambda )=\hat{u}(\lambda )$: interchange the pairing with the integral of a Schwartz function, using the finite-order estimate on the cutoff's compact support. On each compact set of complex frequencies the exponential and all its $x$ derivatives have uniformly convergent power series. Continuity of the distribution allows termwise differentiation, withConsequently $F$ is entire on ${\mathbb{C}}^n$.

For the precise exponential type, a fixed enlarged support would give an unnecessarily enlarged radius. Instead use the shrinking-cutoff exponential-type estimate. On one fixed compact neighborhood of the closed radius-$\delta$ ball, $u$ has finite order of a distribution $m$. Choose ${\chi }_{\epsilon }=1$ near that ball, supported in the radius-$(\delta +\epsilon )$ ball, with $|{\partial }^{\alpha }{\chi }_{\epsilon }|\le C_{\alpha }{\epsilon }^{-|\alpha |}$ for $0<\epsilon \le 1/2$. The finite-order estimate givesTake $\epsilon =[2(1+|z|){]}^{-1}$. Its extra exponential is bounded by $e^{1/2}$, while the derivative cost is polynomial. ThusThe entire function was defined with a fixed cutoff; only its bound uses a frequency-dependent cutoff, so no holomorphic dependence is lost. This proves the required estimate with some $N\ge 0$ without enlarging $\delta$.

For the converse, set $V(z)=e^{iz\cdot y}U(z)$. Its restriction to real frequencies has polynomial growth. Define the inverse tempered distribution $v$ byRapid decay of the Schwartz function transform proves convergence and continuity, and Fourier inversion gives $\hat{v}=V$ on real frequencies.

We prove its support directly by contour shifting, rather than assuming the support conclusion of the Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem. Let $\omega$ be a real unit vector and take a test function $\varphi$ supported in $x\cdot \omega \ge \delta +ϵ$ for some $ϵ>0$. For every integer $M\ge 0$, integration by parts in the real-frequency Fourier integral givesIndeed, move $(1-{\Delta }_x{)}^M$ from the oscillatory exponential to $e^{-t\omega \cdot x}\varphi$; its derivatives supply at most $2M$ powers of $t$.

The product $V(z)\hat{\varphi }(-z)$ is entire. Rotate coordinates so that $\omega$ is the first coordinate vector and apply Cauchy integral theorem to a rectangle in that one complex coordinate, integrating the remaining real coordinates afterwards. For fixed $t$, choose $2M>N+n+2$; the displayed decay estimate, uniformly on the intervening imaginary segment, makes the vertical faces vanish as the real rectangle width tends to infinity. The horizontal integrals are absolutely convergent. HenceUsing $(1+|\xi +it\omega |{)}^N\le C(1+t{)}^N(1+|\xi |{)}^N$ and the growth hypothesis bounds this pairing byIt tends to zero as $t\to \infty$, so the pairing vanishes. Every point outside the closed radius-$\delta$ ball lies in such a separating half-space; a finite partition of unity for the support of a test function outside the ball proves $\mathrm{supp}v\subset \overline{B}(0,\delta )$.

Translate this compactly supported distribution by $y$: define $⟨u,\varphi ⟩=⟨v,\varphi (\cdot +y)⟩$. The Translation property of the Fourier transform givesThe compact-support entire extension agrees with $U$ everywhere by the identity theorem, applied successively in the complex coordinates. Fourier inversion also gives uniqueness. This completes both directions of the ball version of the Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem.

For the wave equation, take a real constant $c\ne 0$. The Fourier transform method for the wave equation givesThis inverse tempered distribution is twice differentiable in $t$: time derivatives introduce polynomial frequency factors, still integrable against every Schwartz function. It has the specified initial displacement and zero initial velocity and satisfies the equation distributionally.

To apply the support theorem, replace the real norm by the entire wave cosine multiplierThis series is entire and equals $\cos (ct\sqrt{z\cdot z})$ regardless of the square-root choice. Write $z=a+ib$ and $q=\sqrt{z\cdot z}$. Since $|z\cdot z|\le |a{|}^2+|b{|}^2$,Together with $|\cos w|\le e^{|\mathrm{Im}w|}$, this yields $|C_t(z)|\le e^{|c|t|\mathrm{Im}z|}$. The forward estimate for the translated initial support now givesThe converse therefore proves finite propagation with the stated speed:In particular, $\sqrt{z\cdot z}$ itself need not be entire; it is the even cosine series that provides the required entire extension.

For completeness this construction identifies the distributional Cauchy solution even without initially assuming spatial temperedness. The zero-displacement wave multiplier is $S_{\tau }(z)={\int }_0^{\tau }{C}_s(z)ds$, entire with bound $|S_{\tau }(z)|\le \tau e^{|c|\tau |\mathrm{Im}z|}$. Given a compactly supported smooth $\varphi$ and final time $T$, the backward solution $w(s)={\mathcal{F}}^{-1}[S_{T-s}\hat{\varphi }]$ is smooth, has support in one compact ball for $0\le s\le T$ by the same support theorem, and satisfies $w(T)=0$, $w_s(T)=-\varphi$. For the difference $h$ of two distributional solutions with zero initial data,All pairings use compactly supported test functions. The expression vanishes initially and equals $⟨h(T),\varphi ⟩$ finally. Hence $h(T)=0$, establishing uniqueness in the usual time-differentiable distributional solution class.

The unknown Neumann boundary condition can be removed by the Fokas method. Evaluate the global relation for the half-line free Schrodinger equation at $-k$:Consequently $k{G}_0-i{G}_1=2k{G}_0-{\hat{q}}_0(-k)+e^{i{k}^{2}t}\hat{q}(-k,t)$. In the representation from part (a), the last term has integral ${\int }_{\partial D_{+}}{e}^{ikx}\hat{q}(-k,t)dk=0$, by the Cauchy integral theorem and Jordan lemma. It is analytic in the upper half-plane, and the exponential decays on the closing first-quadrant arc. Hence an expression involving only the given data isOne may replace $t$ by $T$ in the upper limit defining $G_0$: the contribution of boundary times $s>t$ closes to zero in $D_{+}$, since $e^{-i{k}^2(t-s)}$ then decays there. Using $t$ makes causality transparent.

For an explicit proof of uniform convergence, it is useful to apply boundary lifting before inversion. Set $h(x)=e^{-x}$, $c=g_0(0)$, $w_0(x)=q_0(x)-ch(x)$, andThe compatibility condition gives $w_0(0)=0$. The Fourier sine transform of $w=q-g_{0}h$ satisfies $S_t+i{k}^{2}S=Hf$, with initial value $S_0$. The integrating factor therefore gives the equivalent representationThis last integral is absolutely and uniformly convergent for $x\ge 0$, $0\le t\le T$ under concrete sufficient hypotheses $w_0,w_0^{\prime },w_0^{\prime \prime }\in L^1$, decay of the boundary terms, and $g_0\in C^2[0,T]$. Indeed, two integrations by parts give $|S_0(k)|\le \Vert w_0^{\prime \prime }{\Vert }_1/k^2$ for $k\ge 1$. Another integration by parts, this time in $s$, givesThus the initial term is uniformly $O(k^{-2})$ and the forcing term uniformly $O(k^{-3})$. For $0<k<1$, use $|S_0(k)|\le \Vert w_0{\Vert }_1$ and the bounded time integral. An integrable majorant proves the claimed uniform convergence and permits evaluation at both boundaries.

At $t=0$, Fourier sine inversion gives $q(x,0)=c{e}^{-x}+w_0(x)=q_0(x)$. At $x=0$, the integral vanishes, giving $q(0,t)=g_0(t)$, including the compatible corner. To verify the equation, note that $h^{\prime \prime }=h$ and the transformed equation impliesAdding the lifted part gives $i{q}_t+q_{xx}=0$. Under the stated smoothness, this holds classically in the interior; differentiated spectral integrals can first be Gaussian-regularized, or read in the sine-transform $L^2$ sense and then identified with the smooth solution. Uniform convergence of $q$ itself does not require claiming uniform convergence of every differentiated integral at the corner.

The Cauchy integral theorem applied to $e^{-ikz}{q}_z$ yields the global relationInitially this follows for $\mathrm{Im}k\le 0$, where the far vertical closing segment vanishes. The identities below can be compared on the real axis, and then continued wherever the respective transforms are analytic.

Define the characteristic factor of the symmetric Robin strip transformSubstituting part (a) into the global relation givesReflection symmetry gives $H(-k)=e^{-k\ell }H(k)$ and $\varphi (-k)=-e^{-k\ell }\varphi (k)$, because $q_y(0,\ell -y)=-q_y(0,y)$. Also $D(-k)=e^{-k\ell }D(k)$. Use the global relation at $-k$ and multiply by $-e^{k\ell }$ to obtainComparison therefore provesAt a zero of $D$, this identity is interpreted through the necessary solvability condition and a removable limit when a decaying solution exists. For $\gamma >0$, $D$ has no real zeros, so no such qualification is needed on the two real integration rays.

Substitute part (b) into the spectral representation. The terms containing $\psi (ik)$ areThe transform $\psi (ik)$ is analytic for $\mathrm{Im}k>0$. Write $k=a+ib$. In the first quadrant,which decays since $x,y>0$. The Cauchy integral theorem in that quadrant equates the two integrals in the first parentheses. In the second quadrant,which decays since $a<0$, $b>0$, and $y<\ell$. The same contour integration equates the two integrals in the second parentheses. Therefore $\psi (ik)$ makes no contribution. This is upper-quadrant cancellation of reflected boundary transforms, and it uses the whole paired expression rather than attempting to discard an individual integral.

The terms involving $c$ cancel by the same two quadrant arguments with the analytic factors $k\pm \gamma$ and $\psi$ omitted. There is a sign defect in the printed reconstruction prefactor. The sides specified in part (a) form a clockwise boundary, so the Cauchy integral theorem gives a negative reconstruction sign. Indeed, integrating each spectral ray first yields $i/(z-\zeta )$, and hence the sum of the three ray integrals is $i{\oint }_{\mathrm{clockwise}}{q}_z(\zeta )/(z-\zeta )d\zeta =-2\pi q_z(z)$. Thus the printed positive prefactor reconstructs $-q_z$. The requested cancellation above holds with either overall sign, but the actual data-dependent derivative isDecay at infinity fixes the integration constant when recovering $q$ from its Wirtinger derivative.

For completeness, the missing condition at infinity and the unrestricted printed $\gamma$ deserve an explicit solvability of a decaying Robin strip check. Let $Y_n$ be orthonormal eigenfunctions from a Sturm-Liouville problem of $-d^2/d{y}^2$ with $Y_n^{\prime }(0)=\gamma Y_n(0)$ and $Y_n^{\prime }(\ell )=-\gamma Y_n(\ell )$, and eigenvalues ${\lambda }_n$. With $g_n={\int }_0^{\ell }g{Y}_{n}dy$, separation of variables givesIndeed, each coefficient obeys $q_n^{\prime \prime }-{\lambda }_n{q}_n=0$ and $q_n^{\prime }(0)=g_n$. A positive eigenvalue has one decaying exponential; a zero eigenvalue has only affine solutions and a negative eigenvalue only oscillatory solutions, neither of which decays unless its coefficient vanishes. This also proves uniqueness in the decay class and justifies reflection symmetry there. For $\gamma >0$, all eigenvalues are positive. For $\gamma =0$, the constant eigenfunction requires ${\int }_0^{\ell }gdy=0$; the apparent zero of $D$ at the origin is then removable. For $\gamma <0$, compatibility with every nonpositive eigenmode is necessary. These restrictions cannot be inferred from smoothness and reflection symmetry alone. The printed boundary value problem without any far-field condition permits additional growing or nondecaying homogeneous solutions, whereas the spectral transforms select the decaying branch.

Use the entire function $e^{ik{z}^3}$. The steepest descent contour starting at $1$ iswith the cube-root branch starting at $1$. Along it $ik{z}^3=ik-ku$, so the real part decreases and the imaginary part stays constant. It approaches the ray $\arg z=\pi /6$, on which $z=e^{i\pi /6}{u}^{1/3}$ and $ik{z}^3=-ku$.

Close a contour using the interval $[0,1]$, these two outgoing paths truncated at parameter $R$, and a short connecting arc. The two endpoints differ by $O(R^{-2/3})$, and the integrand on the connector decays exponentially in $R$. Cauchy integral theorem therefore gives ${\int }_0^1{e}^{ik{t}^3}dt=I_1-I_2$.

The specified substitutions giveandExpand $(1+iu{)}^{-2/3}=1-2iu/3+O(u^2)$ near zero, and apply Watson lemma, or split the integral at a fixed small $u$ and integrate the Taylor remainder. This gives the first two asymptotic termsKeeping the next term gives $-2e^{ik}/(9k^2)+O(k^{-3})$. The fractional power comes from the degenerate stationary endpoint at zero; the oscillatory integer-power terms come from the ordinary endpoint at one.

Use the Fourier transform convention $\hat{\phi }(\xi )=\int e^{-ix\cdot \xi }\phi (x)dx$, with inverse factor $(2\pi {)}^{-n}$. The Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem can be stated with sharp convex support: for a nonempty compact convex set $K\subset {\mathbb{R}}^n$, let its support function be $H_K(\eta )={\sup }_{x\in K}x\cdot \eta$. Then $F$ is the Fourier transform of a unique distribution supported in $K$ if and only if it is entire andfor some $C$ and nonnegative integer $M$. For $K={\overline{B}}_R$, this is the familiar bound $C(1+|z|{)}^M{e}^{R|\mathrm{Im}z|}$. Allowing some $R$ characterizes all compactly supported distributions. Here the extension of the Fourier transform is $F(z)=⟨u,e^{-ix\cdot z}⟩$, interpreted with a cutoff equal to one near the support of a distribution.

First suppose $\mathrm{supp}u\subset K$. Fix one smooth cutoff function equal to one near $K$. Pairing the resulting compactly supported exponential with $u$ shows that $F$ is an entire function: differentiation with respect to $z_j$ inserts $-i{x}_j$, and the power series converges in the test-function seminorms uniformly on compact subsets of ${\mathbb{C}}^n$.

To keep the exponential type exactly $H_K$, rather than that of a fixed larger neighborhood, use a shrinking-cutoff exponential-type estimate. There are cutoffs ${\chi }_{\epsilon }$ equal to one on $K+\epsilon B_1$, supported in $K+3\epsilon {\overline{B}}_1$, and satisfying $|{\partial }^{\alpha }{\chi }_{\epsilon }|\le C_{\alpha }{\epsilon }^{-|\alpha |}$ for $0<\epsilon \le 1$. One construction convolves the indicator of $K+2\epsilon B_1$ with a unit-mass mollifier supported in $\epsilon B_1$. Continuity of $u$ on a fixed compact neighborhood gives a finite order of a distribution $q$ there. By the product rule,Taking $\epsilon =(1+|z|{)}^{-1}$ proves the required bound with $M=2q$, since the extra exponential factor is at most $e^3$. The value of the pairing is independent of the chosen cutoff because all cutoffs agree near $\mathrm{supp}u$. Thus the forward direction has the exact asserted support function, without an unproved estimate on derivatives restricted only to $K$.

Conversely, suppose the entire $F$ has the stated bound. Its restriction to real frequency has polynomial growth, so define a tempered distribution $u$ byThe Schwartz space decay makes this integral absolutely convergent and continuous; by Fourier inversion, $\hat{u}=F$ on real frequency. It remains to prove the support assertion by mollifier regularization for contour recovery of support.

Choose a nonnegative unit-mass mollifier $\rho$ supported in $B_1$, and setOn real frequency, $F_{\epsilon }$ decays faster than any polynomial after enough applications of integration by parts to $\hat{\rho }$; hence $h_{\epsilon }$ is smooth, by differentiation under the integral sign. More generally, for every integer $L$ there is $C_{\epsilon ,L}$ such thatTo obtain this estimate, write the transform of ${\rho }_{\epsilon }$ as the real-frequency transform of $e^{x\cdot \eta }{\rho }_{\epsilon }(x)$ and integrate by parts; each derivative introduces at most one factor of $|\eta |$.

Fix a unit vector $v$ and take $L>M+n+1$. A contour-shift proof of the Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem moves the inverse-transform contour to ${\mathbb{R}}^n+itv$:Here is a justification of the shift. Rotate coordinates so $v$ is the first coordinate direction, apply the Cauchy integral theorem on a rectangle in the first complex variable, and integrate over the other real variables. For fixed $t$, the vertical sides at real part $\pm A$ have an integrated bound proportional to $A^{M-L+n-1}$, and hence vanish as $A\to \infty$. The same decay bounds give absolute convergence on the horizontal sides. No contour shift of an unregularized polynomially growing integral is needed.

Positive homogeneity of the support function now givesIf $x\notin K+\epsilon {\overline{B}}_1$, the Hahn-Banach separation theorem supplies a unit vector $v$ with $x\cdot v>H_K(v)+\epsilon$. Letting $t\to \infty$ proves $h_{\epsilon }(x)=0$. Therefore $h_{\epsilon }\in C_c^{\infty }$ and $\mathrm{supp}{h}_{\epsilon }\subset K+\epsilon {\overline{B}}_1$.

Since $\hat{\rho }(\epsilon \xi )\to 1$ and its modulus is at most one on real frequency, the dominated convergence theorem in the formula for $⟨u,\phi ⟩$ gives $h_{\epsilon }\to u$ as tempered distributions, and thus as distributions. A test function supported outside $K$ has positive distance from $K$, so its pairing with $h_{\epsilon }$ is zero for all sufficiently small $\epsilon$. This proves $\mathrm{supp}u\subset K$. The Fourier transform of a compactly supported distribution constructed in the forward direction equals $F$ on ${\mathbb{R}}^n$; applying the one-variable identity theorem successively in each coordinate extends the equality to ${\mathbb{C}}^n$. Injectivity of the Fourier transform of a tempered distribution proves uniqueness and completes both directions.

For the independence application, put $g_m(z)=e^{iz\cdot y_m}{f}_m(z)$ and $r_m=1/(m+1)$. The ball version of the Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem supplies a nonzero distribution $v_m$ supported in ${\overline{B}}_{r_m}(0)$ with ${\hat{v}}_m=g_m$. By the Translation property of the Fourier transform,where $⟨{\tau }_{y}v,\phi ⟩=⟨v,\phi (\cdot +y)⟩$. Distinct integer points are at least distance one apart. For distinct positive indices $j,k$, the largest possible radius sum is $1/2+1/3=5/6<1$. Thus these closed balls, and hence the distribution supports, are pairwise disjoint.

If ${\sum }_{m=1}^N{c}_m{f}_m=0$, injectivity of the Fourier transform gives ${\sum }_m{c}_m{w}_m=0$. For each $j$, choose a smooth cutoff function equal to one near its ball and zero near all other balls. Multiplying the distributional identity by this cutoff isolates $c_j{w}_j=0$. Since $f_j$ is not identically zero, $w_j\ne 0$, so $c_j=0$. Consequently $f_1,\dots ,f_N$ are linearly independent over $\mathbb{C}$. This Fourier independence from disjoint distribution supports uses the quantitative exponential types to establish support separation.