Past exam of the algebra, analysis and differential equations 1 course of the University of Oxford / 2004 / Differential equations / 9 / iii

This is the wave equation, again taking $y$ as time. Zero is not unique: for $k=\pi /2$,satisfies $u_{xx}=u_{yy}$ and all the stated boundary conditions. The initial displacement is zero but the initial velocity is not prescribed.

A sufficient extra condition is $u_y(x,0)=0$. For the resulting homogeneous data use wave energyThe equation and integration by parts give $E^{\prime }(y)=[u_x{u}_y{]}_0^1=0$. At $x=1$ the factor $u_x$ vanishes, and at $x=0$ the factor $u_y$ vanishes because $u(0,y)=0$. The initial displacement implies $u_x(x,0)=0$, so the extra initial velocity condition gives $E(0)=0$. Consequently $u_x=u_y=0$ and $u=0$. With the stated boundary regularity, integrate the local energy conservation law over inset rectangles and let their edges approach the boundary; the energy and flux terms converge by continuity of the first derivatives.