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A sufficient set of assumptions is that $L$ is a densely defined closed operator on the Hilbert space $H$, generating an analytic semigroup $S(t)$, and that $f\in C^{0,\theta }([0,T],H)$ for some $0<\theta \le 1$. For an operator criterion, one may assume that $A=\omega I-L$ is a sectorial operator of angle less than $\pi /2$, with dense domain. The analytic semigroup then satisfies, on a fixed finite time interval,The Hölder continuity assumption means $\Vert f(t)-f(s){\Vert }_H\le K|t-s{|}^{\theta }$. It supplies time regularity of the forcing, not spatial membership of $f(t)$ in $D(L)$.

With initial datum $u_0\in H$, a classical solution of an abstract Cauchy problem meanswith the evolution identity holding in $H$ at positive times and $u(t)\to u_0$ in $H$. Equivalently, the positive-time domain continuity is in the graph norm. If the definition requires differentiability also at zero, assume additionally $u_0\in D(L)$; the proof below then gives $u\in C^1([0,T],H)\cap C([0,T],D(L))$.

The variation-of-constants formula gives the candidateThe integral is a Bochner integral. Boundedness of $S$ and continuity of $f$ make the expression continuous into $H$, and its integral term tends to zero with $t$. Thus it is a mild solution of an abstract Cauchy problem with the correct initial value. The issue is showing that its integral term lies in the domain of the unbounded linear operator $L$.

Write $v(t)={\int }_0^{t}S(r)f(t-r)dr$. For $\epsilon >0$, the truncated integral $v_{\epsilon }(t)={\int }_{\epsilon }^{t}S(r)f(t-r)dr$ lies in $D(L)$. Subtract the current forcing before applying $L$:Here the last term follows by integrating $LS(r)f(t)=\frac{d}{dr}S(r)f(t)$ away from zero; it does not assume that $f(t)\in D(L)$. The first integrand satisfiesSince $v_{\epsilon }(t)\to v(t)$ in $H$ and the displayed images also converge, the closed operator property givesThis is the reason for the Hölder continuity assumption: the unsplit estimate would have the nonintegrable factor $r^{-1}$. Merely knowing that $f$ is continuous does not provide the integrable bound needed here. More generally, a modulus of continuity $\eta$ satisfying ${\int }_0^1\eta (r)dr/r<\infty$ suffices for this argument; a positive Hölder exponent is a convenient sufficient hypothesis.

The formula also proves continuity of $Lv$ at positive times. On compact positive-time intervals, split the integral at a small $r=\epsilon$: its short part is uniformly bounded by $C{\epsilon }^{\theta }$, while the remaining part is continuous by the strongly continuous semigroup property and ordinary dominated convergence. Together with analytic smoothing of $S(t)u_0$, this makes $Lu$ continuous at positive times. The semigroup property givesBecause $u(t)\in D(L)$, division of this identity by $h$ after subtracting $u(t)$ gives the continuous right derivative $Lu(t)+f(t)$. The left derivative agrees by the same identity and continuity of $Lu+f$. Thus $u^{\prime }=Lu+f$, proving existence of the classical solution of an abstract Cauchy problem on the entire given finite interval, and in particular local existence.

For uniqueness, the difference $h$ of two such classical solutions of an abstract Cauchy problem satisfies $h^{\prime }=Lh$ and $h(0)=0$. For $0<\epsilon <t$, differentiation of $S(t-s)h(s)$ on $[\epsilon ,t]$ gives zero, so $h(t)=S(t-\epsilon )h(\epsilon )$. Letting $\epsilon \downarrow 0$ yields $h(t)=0$. Finally, if $u_0\in D(L)$, then $LS(t)u_0=S(t)L{u}_0\to L{u}_0$, and the expression for $Lv(t)$ tends to zero. Hence $u^{\prime }(t)\to L{u}_0+f(0)$ and the stronger time-zero regularity follows. The solution is unique; the forcing regularity controls the singularity in the differentiated integral.