Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / iii / Paper 5 / 1 / 2 / a / Solution

A characteristic curve has $x-at$ constant. Backtracking reaches the initial line if $x\ge at$ and the inflow boundary otherwise. HenceValues on the dividing characteristic curve are immaterial for bounded weak solutions.

For a classical solution on the closed quadrant, choose $u_0,f\in C^1([0,\infty ))$ and impose the corner compatibility for constant-speed transportThese make the values and both first derivatives agree across $x=at$; each branch solves the transport equation. They are also necessary for a $C^1$ solution up to the initial and inflow boundaries.

Spatial $C^{\infty }$ regularity for every $t\ge 0$, up to $x=0$, holds precisely for smooth data with all matching jets:Indeed the spatial derivatives of order $n$ at $x=at$ are $u_0^{(n)}(0)$ and $(-1/a{)}^n{f}^{(n)}(0)$. Necessity of smooth $u_0$ follows at $t=0$; smoothness of $f$ on any finite interval follows by reading the boundary branch in a spatial slice at a larger time.