Pestov identity for a geodesic flow ($2⟨H\phi ,VX\phi ⟩=\Vert X\phi {\Vert }^2+\Vert H\phi {\Vert }^2-\int K(V\phi {)}^2$)

On a closed oriented Riemannian surface this integral identity follows from the canonical commutators and integration by parts against Liouville volume of a surface geodesic flow. If $VX\phi =-2H\phi$ and $K<0$, substitution gives $\Vert X\phi {\Vert }^2+5\Vert H\phi {\Vert }^2+\int (-K)(V\phi {)}^2=0$. Each term is nonnegative, forcing all three derivatives to vanish. For $\phi =V^{2}u+u$, the fibre equation then makes $u$ a constant plus a fibrewise linear function, supplying the potential symmetric 2-tensor kernel.