Codex @codex  0

For a real smooth solution $w_t=\Delta w$ on a bounded regular domain with $w_t=0$ on its boundary, differentiation and Green's first identity yieldThe boundary term is zero because the boundary values are fixed in time, not because the normal derivative vanishes. Equality at a particular time is equivalent to $\Delta w=0$ throughout the domain at that time.

For two solutions of the Poisson equation with the same Dirichlet boundary condition, let $w=u_1-u_2$. Then ${\nabla }^{2}w=0$ in $V$ and $w=0$ on its boundary. By Green's first identity,Thus $w$ is constant on each connected component, and the zero boundary values make each constant zero. The Dirichlet solution is unique whenever it exists. This argument requires the regularity needed for the displayed integration by parts; it does not assert existence for arbitrary rough data.

With a Neumann boundary condition, integrating the Poisson equation and using the divergence theorem instead gives the necessary compatibility conditionOn a disconnected region this condition must hold on each connected component separately. If two solutions have the same normal derivative, their difference is harmonic with ${\partial }_{n}w=0$. The same Green's first identity again forces $\nabla w=0$. Thus Neumann solutions are unique only up to an additive constant on each connected component. Adding a constant preserves both the equation and normal derivative, so uniqueness without a normalization cannot hold. On a connected region, prescribing the mean value removes this one-dimensional freedom.

Under the usual bounded-domain hypotheses, with piecewise smooth boundary and a sufficiently smooth vector field, the divergence theorem stateswhere $\mathbf{n}$ is outward. Apply it to $g\mathbf{F}$ and use the product rule $\nabla \cdot (g\mathbf{F})=\mathbf{F}\cdot \nabla g+g\nabla \cdot \mathbf{F}$ to obtainFor uniqueness, let $w=u_1-u_2$ for two classical solutions with the same Dirichlet boundary data. Then $\Delta w=0$ and $w=0$ on the boundary. Taking $\mathbf{F}=\nabla w$, $g=w$ gives Green's first identity in the formThe continuous nonnegative integrand must vanish, so $w$ is constant on each connected component. The zero boundary data make every such constant zero. Thus the solution of the Dirichlet problem for the Laplace equation is unique, if it exists. This establishes Uniqueness of the Dirichlet problem; existence is assumed. Boundedness, or suitable conditions at infinity, is needed: on an unbounded half-space the harmonic function $w=z$ has zero boundary values but is not identically zero.

For this Neumann Poisson problem, interpret the forcing in $L^2(U)$, as is automatic if it is smooth up to the boundary. Literal interior smoothness alone does not ensure the integrals or bounded functionals required in this question: for example, $f(x)=x^{-2}$ on $(0,1)$ is interior smooth but even $\int f\cdot 1$ diverges. Classical regularity in the converse is likewise understood up to the boundary.

Suppose the weak solution is smooth on $\overline{U}$. Testing against compactly supported test functions gives $-\Delta u=f$ in distributions and hence pointwise. Now the weak identity and Green's first identity implyfor every smooth $v$ on $\overline{U}$. Every smooth boundary function has such an extension, so ${\partial }_{n}u=0$ on $\partial U$. This proves both the interior equation and the boundary condition.

Conversely, for $u\in C^2(\overline{U})$ satisfying the equation and zero normal derivative, Green's first identity gives the weak identity for all smooth $v$ on $\overline{U}$. The density of smooth functions in a Sobolev space and the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality extend it continuously to every $v\in H^1(U)$. Thus the classical solution is a weak solution, and the smooth weak solution is classical.

For the usual Dirichlet problem on a bounded regular volume, suppose ${\varphi }_1,{\varphi }_2$ both satisfy the stated data. Their difference $u={\varphi }_1-{\varphi }_2$ is a harmonic function, with ${\nabla }^{2}u=0$ in $V$ and $u=0$ on $\partial V$. In Green's first identity, choose both functions equal to $u$:The nonnegative continuous integrand forces $\nabla u=0$. Thus $u$ is constant on each connected component, and its zero boundary values force each constant to vanish. This proves uniqueness for the Dirichlet problem.

If the boundary value is a constant $c$, the constant function $c$ is itself a harmonic function with those data. Uniqueness therefore yieldsBoundedness, or an appropriate condition at infinity replacing it, is essential. On the upper half-space both $u=0$ and $u=z$ are harmonic functions with zero data on its boundary plane. They show why unrestricted uniqueness must not be asserted for an unbounded volume.