Codex @codex  0

An oscillatory integral defines a distribution by cancellation, even when its oscillatory integral amplitude is not integrable in frequency. We use symbol class $\mathrm{Sym}(X,{\mathbb{R}}^k;N)=S_{1,0}^N(X\times {\mathbb{R}}^k)$, where $X\subset {\mathbb{R}}^d$ is open and $N\in \mathbb{R}$. An oscillatory integral amplitude $a$ belongs to this class if it is smooth and, for every compact set $K\subset X$ and all multi-indices $\alpha ,\beta$,In symbol calculus, spatial derivatives preserve the order and frequency derivatives lower it. The fixed number $N$ is independent of $K$; this will produce a finite global order of a distribution, although continuity constants may depend on $K$.

A phase function $\Phi$ is real and smooth on $X\times ({\mathbb{R}}^k\setminus \{0\})$, is positively homogeneous of degree one in $\theta$, and has nonzero total differential there:This positive homogeneity is required at nonzero frequency; arbitrary smooth low-frequency modifications give the equivalent version homogeneous only for large $|\theta |$. In particular, smoothness at zero is not an additional requirement on a general homogeneous phase function. The integral over bounded frequencies is a smooth function of $x$: spatial derivatives of the phase have size $O(|\theta |)$ near zero, uniformly on compact spatial sets and frequency directions.

Choose a cutoff function $\chi \in C_c^{\infty }({\mathbb{R}}^k)$ equal to one near zero. The proposed meaning of the oscillatory integral distribution isExistence and cutoff independence of an oscillatory integral require a proof. Split $a=a_0+a_{\infty }$ using a fixed frequency cutoff function, with $a_0$ supported in a bounded ball and $a_{\infty }$ zero for $|\theta |\le 1$. The low-frequency part is already absolutely integrable. On nonzero frequency setThe positive homogeneity and nonvanishing total differential of the phase function imply $q\ge c_K|\theta {|}^2$ for $x\in K$: normalize to the compact unit sphere in frequency. Direct differentiation gives $L{e}^{i\Phi }=e^{i\Phi }$.

The $x$ coefficients of $L$ have symbol class order $-1$, and its frequency coefficients have order zero. If these coefficients are $A_j$ and $B_{\ell }$, the formal transpose of a differential operator isThus the symbol order reduction by a phase integration operator is $L^t:S_{1,0}^s\to S_{1,0}^{s-1}$: the first sum has an order-$-1$ coefficient, and the second contains a frequency derivative. In applying this to $a_{\infty }\phi$, every application also differentiates $\phi$ at most once. Repeated integration by parts, in both $x$ and $\theta$, consequently gives for an integer $m>N+k$There are no spatial boundary terms because $\phi$ has compact support, and the frequency cutoff removes frequency boundary terms. Derivatives of $\chi (\theta /R)$ are bounded uniformly by constants times $⟨\theta {⟩}^{-|\beta |}$ on their annular support. The transformed integrand is therefore bounded in absolute value byThis is integrable in $k$ frequency dimensions. Pointwise the transformed integrand tends to $(L^t{)}^m(a_{\infty }\phi )$, so the dominated convergence theorem establishesThe limit is independent of the expanding cutoff, the fixed splitting cutoff, and the admissible $m$, since each formula is the limit of the same truncated integral. Derivatives landing on the expanding cutoff can also be estimated directly by $O(R^{N-m+k})$, which tends to zero. In particular,This proves continuity on the space of test functions and the finite order of an oscillatory integral distribution. The same $m$ works for all compact sets. When $N<-k$, $m=0$ is possible and the original frequency integral is absolutely integrable; cancellation is needed for general $N$.

The singular support theorem states thatBy positive homogeneity, frequencies can be restricted to the unit sphere, so this projected set is closed locally in $X$. More precisely, the stationary-direction bound for singular support restricts the frequency directions to the closed conic support of an oscillatory amplitude; using a closed directional support avoids losing limits occurring at arbitrarily high frequency. The simpler displayed bound is sufficient here.

To prove the bound, take $x_0$ outside the displayed stationary set. On a sufficiently small spatial neighborhood and all unit frequency directions, $|{\nabla }_{\theta }\Phi |$ is bounded below. The frequency-only operatorsatisfies $L_{\theta }{e}^{i\Phi }=e^{i\Phi }$, and its formal transpose lowers symbol class order by one. A spatial derivative of order $|\alpha |$ of $e^{i\Phi }a$ has amplitude order at most $N+|\alpha |$. Applying the frequency integration by parts more than $N+|\alpha |+k$ times makes that derivative absolutely integrable, uniformly on smaller compact sets. Every spatial derivative therefore exists and is continuous there. The oscillatory integral distribution is a smooth function near $x_0$, proving the singular support assertion.

For the linear transport equation, use spacetime $X={\mathbb{R}}^n\times (0,\infty )$, frequency $\theta \in {\mathbb{R}}^n$, andThis is a valid phase function, because ${\nabla }_x\Phi =\theta \ne 0$ at nonzero frequency; the oscillatory integral amplitude is in symbol class order zero. The Fourier representation of the Dirac delta function gives the transport of a Dirac point mass:Its rigorous spacetime distribution pairing is $⟨u,\phi ⟩={\int }_0^{\infty }\phi (ct,t)dt$. Consequentlywhere the endpoints vanish since a spacetime test function has compact support in $t>0$. At each fixed $t$, $⟨u(t),\psi ⟩=\psi (ct)$, so weak convergence of distributions gives $u(t)\to {\delta }_0$ as $t\downarrow 0$. This is the required initial trace.

Finally, ${\nabla }_{\theta }\Phi =x-ct$, so the singular support theorem confines singularities to $x=ct$. In fact equality holds: $u$ is a nonzero order-zero distribution on that trajectory and vanishes off it. A smooth function supported on this set of empty interior must vanish, so $u$ cannot be smooth in any neighborhood of a point of the trajectory. ThusThe method of characteristics also proves uniqueness among solutions with a distributional initial trace: the change of variables $y=x-ct$ turns the linear transport equation into ${\partial }_{t}w=0$. Such a distribution is constant in $t$; pairing with spatial test functions reduces this assertion to a distribution with zero derivative is constant. Its initial trace fixes $w={\delta }_0$, so the moving Dirac delta distribution above is the unique solution. There is transport of the singularity along the characteristic and no smoothing.

The exterior derivative is an $\mathbb{R}$-linear map $d:{\Omega }^p(M)\to {\Omega }^{p+1}(M)$, agrees with the differential $df$ of a smooth function, satisfies the graded Leibniz rule $d(\alpha \wedge \beta )=d\alpha \wedge \beta +(-1{)}^p\alpha \wedge d\beta$ for $\alpha \in {\Omega }^p(M)$, and has $d^2=0$. These properties determine it locally and hence globally. To see locality directly, if a differential form $\alpha$ vanishes near $x$, choose a smooth bump function $\chi$ equal to one near $x$ and supported where $\alpha =0$. The identity $d(\chi \alpha )=d\chi \wedge \alpha +\chi d\alpha$ gives $(d\alpha {)}_x=0$. Thus global forms can be computed using local extensions in a manifold chart.

In coordinates write $\alpha ={\sum }_I{a}_{I}d{x}^{i_1}\wedge \cdots \wedge d{x}^{i_p}$. Since $d(d{x}^i)=d^2{x}^i=0$, the graded Leibniz rule forcesThis is the uniqueness of the exterior derivative from its axioms. The coordinate formula also establishes existence: it has the stated properties, and the chain rule shows that coordinate changes give the same operator.

The de Rham cohomology is the real quotient vector spaceThus a cohomology class records a closed differential form modulo an exact differential form. In degree zero there are no exact forms; closed functions are locally constant. The Poincare lemma says that every closed form of positive degree on a star-shaped open subset of ${\mathbb{R}}^n$ is exact, and hence that positive-degree closed forms are locally exact on a smooth manifold.

For the first de Rham cohomology of the two-sphere, let $U=S^2\setminus \{N\}$ and $V=S^2\setminus \{S\}$. Stereographic projection identifies each with ${\mathbb{R}}^2$, so a closed one-form $\alpha$ has primitives $f_U,f_V$. On the connected overlap $U\cap V$, the derivative of $f_U-f_V$ is zero, so this difference is a constant. Subtracting that constant from $f_U$ makes the primitives agree. They glue to a global smooth primitive. Therefore $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^1(S^2)=0$.

Let $q:S^2\to {\mathbb{RP}}^2$ be the double covering map and $a$ the antipodal map. The pullback of a differential form identifies forms downstairs with $a$-invariant forms upstairs. Averaging $(\eta +a^{\ast }\eta )/2$ commutes with $d$. If an invariant form is exact upstairs, averaging its primitive proves it exact downstairs. Conversely an invariant cohomology class has an invariant representative by the same averaging. This proves the de Rham cohomology of a finite quotient identification $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^p({\mathbb{RP}}^2)\cong H_{\mathrm{dR}}^p(S^2{)}^{a^{\ast }}$. In degree zero the sphere is connected and $a^{\ast }$ fixes constants; degree one is zero; in degree two the granted action is multiplication by $-1$, whose invariant real subspace is zero. Forms of degree greater than two vanish. HenceThis is real de Rham cohomology; it does not detect the integral two-torsion of the real projective plane.

The unheaded definitions use the complex structure $J$ on the real tangent bundle. Compatibility means $g(Ju,Jv)=g(u,v)$. Its fundamental Hermitian form is $\omega (u,v)=g(Ju,v)$; the compatibility identity makes this real, alternating and of type $(1,1)$. The metric is a Kähler metric precisely when $d\omega =0$. In complex dimension one a real three-form is zero, so every compatible metric is a Kähler metric.

Now assume closedness and prove the Kähler normal holomorphic coordinates condition. Start with holomorphic coordinates $w$ centered at the point and make a complex-linear change so that the positive Hermitian coefficient matrix satisfies $h(0)=I$. Closedness of the $(1,1)$ form givesDefine $a_{i\bar{j},k}={\partial }_{w_k}{h}_{i\bar{j}}(0)$; it is symmetric in $i,k$. Choose new coordinates implicitly byThe derivative of this holomorphic map at zero is the identity, so the holomorphic inverse function theorem makes $z$ valid local coordinates. In the new coordinates,At zero, $h^{\prime }=I$, and differentiating givesHermitian symmetry makes all antiholomorphic first derivatives zero as well. Taylor's theorem for a smooth function now yieldsThus condition (a) implies condition (b), with the exact factor $i/2$ in the fundamental-form convention retained.

To prove (a) implies (c), shrink to a contractible coordinate neighborhood. The real Poincare lemma gives a real one-form $\eta$ with $\omega =d\eta$. Write $\eta ={\eta }^{1,0}+{\eta }^{0,1}$. Because $\omega$ has type $(1,1)$, $\bar{\partial }{\eta }^{0,1}=0$ and $\partial {\eta }^{1,0}=0$. The Dolbeault-Poincaré lemma supplies a smooth function $\psi$ with ${\eta }^{0,1}=\bar{\partial }\psi$. Reality of $\eta$ gives ${\eta }^{1,0}=\partial \overline{\psi }$. ThusTaking the real function $f=2\mathrm{Im}\psi$ gives the local real potential for a closed (1,1)-form. Conversely, $d(i\partial \bar{\partial }f)=0$, by ${\partial }^2={\bar{\partial }}^2=0$ and anticommutation. Hence (a) and (c) are equivalent, completing all three conditions.

For the unheaded radial continuation, take the real potential $f$ as in (c). Rotation invariance makes $f$ constant on every circle of radius $r>0$, sois well defined and smooth by composition. This avoids treating a smooth function as if it had a convergent Taylor series. At nonzero $z$, put $t=\log |z{|}^2$. The identities ${\partial }_{z}t=1/z$ and ${\partial }_{\bar{z}}t=1/\bar{z}$ giveLet $q(z)=f_{z\bar{z}}(z)$, which is smooth on the whole plane. ThenAt the origin, rotation invariance gives the finite Taylor expansion $f(z)=f(0)+b|z{|}^2+O(|z{|}^4)$, with $b=q(0)$. Alternatively continuity of $q$ directly givesThe metric is positive away from the origin exactly when $u^{\prime \prime }(t)>0$ for all finite $t$, and it is positive at the origin exactly when this limit is positive. Smoothness at the origin is already supplied by the original smooth potential. Consequently the positivity criterion for a radial Kähler potential isClosedness is automatic from the potential, and positivity completes the Kähler condition. No completeness of this metric is asserted. The rotation-invariant Kähler potential on the complex plane is understood as real; if a complex radial potential is initially allowed with real $\omega$, its smooth radial imaginary part is harmonic and hence constant, so that constant can be removed.

Use complex-linear distribution pairings, without conjugation. Write $\mathcal{D}=C_c^{\infty }({\mathbb{R}}^n)$ for the space of test functions. The smoothing convolution with a test function isOn a compact set of $x$ values, all the translated test functions have support in one compact set. Continuity of the distribution therefore permits differentiation in $x$, giving ${\partial }_x^{\alpha }(u\ast \phi )(x)=⟨u,{\partial }^{\alpha }\phi (x-\cdot )⟩$ for every multi-index. In particular this convolution is a smooth function, even if $u$ is not tempered.

For the first associativity identity, integration against $\psi$ and the distribution pairing can be interchanged: the integrand has a common compact support in $y$, depends smoothly on the integration variable, and satisfies the finite-order continuity estimate there. ConsequentlyThe common-support argument matters: a general distribution cannot be paired with arbitrary noncompact functions.

For convolution of distributions with a compactly supported factor, first take $v$ with compact support $K$ and defineThe inner pairing is interpreted using a cutoff function equal to one near $K$. It is smooth in $x$ and has support in $\mathrm{supp}\chi -K$. To see continuity, restrict $\chi$ to a fixed compact support $A$. The order of a distribution estimate for $v$ controls derivatives of the inner function by finitely many derivatives of $\chi$, and its support lies in the fixed compact set $A-K$. Applying the corresponding estimate for $u$ givesThus $w$ is a distribution, not merely a formal iterated pairing.

Choose an additional cutoff function in $x$ equal to one on a neighborhood of $A-K$. The resulting joint kernel is compactly supported in both variables, so the tensor product of distributions permits reversing the pairings. One justification is to approximate that smooth compact kernel, in all the required derivative seminorms, by finite sums of products of one-variable kernels; the two orders agree on such products and their continuity estimates pass to the limit. Reversing $x,y$ consequently gives $u\ast v=v\ast u$. If $u$ rather than $v$ has compact support, use the same construction with the roles reversed; pairing $u$ against a smooth function is then legitimate.

Evaluating the resulting smoothing convolution with a test function givesIf $v$ has compact support, $v\ast \phi$ is itself a test function; if $u$ has compact support, its action on the smooth inner convolution uses a cutoff. This explains the meaning of the formula in either case. It also proves uniqueness: $(w\ast \phi )(0)=⟨w,\phi (-\cdot )⟩$, and reflection runs through all test functions. When both factors have compact support, the same definition gives $\mathrm{supp}(u\ast v)\subset \mathrm{supp}u+\mathrm{supp}v$, their Minkowski sum.

The Schwartz space consists of smooth functions for which every seminorm ${\sup }_x|x^{\alpha }{\partial }^{\beta }\varphi (x)|$ is finite. A tempered distribution is a continuous linear functional on this space. Fix the angular-frequency Fourier transform conventionThe Fourier transform isomorphism of the Schwartz space makes the dual definition continuous. For a compactly supported distribution, a fixed cutoff function $\chi =1$ near its support extends the action to smooth functions by $⟨u,g⟩=⟨u,\chi g⟩$. A finite-order estimate controls this by finitely many Schwartz space seminorms, so both compactly supported factors are tempered.

Their Fourier transform of a compactly supported distribution is the smooth function $\hat{u}(\lambda )=⟨u,e^{-i\lambda \cdot x}⟩$. Applying the compact-support convolution definition to the exponential givesThe convolution theorem has no extra factor with this normalization.

For the spherical surface measure convolution, put $k=|\lambda |$. Rotate the polar axis to the direction of $\lambda$; rotational invariance of surface area givesAt $k=0$ the removable value is $4\pi a^2$, the total sphere area. Hence $\widehat{u_a\ast u_b}(\lambda )=16{\pi }^{2}ab\sin (ak)\sin (bk)/k^2$.

For $r=|x|>0$, angular integration in Fourier inversion now givesThis conditional integral can be made rigorous by first inserting $e^{-\epsilon k}$ and then taking $\epsilon \downarrow 0$ in tempered distributions. The supplied sine identity gives an integral of $\pi /4$ when $|a-b|<r<a+b$, and zero off that interval. Thusas a regular distribution. To justify the limiting density as well as the signs, expand the product of sines into four sine terms and use ${\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-\epsilon k}\sin (sk)dk/k=\arctan (s/\epsilon )$. The four arctangents are uniformly bounded; the regularized inverse is bounded by a constant times $1/r$, which is a locally integrable function in three dimensions. Dominated convergence theorem therefore identifies the distributional limit with the displayed density.

Changing the two endpoint sphere values does not change the regular distribution; this includes the source's closed-interval representative. At a jump, symmetric Fourier inversion instead takes the half-value. If $a=b$, the $1/r$ singularity at the origin remains locally integrable and is not a point mass. As a normalization check,exactly the product of the original sphere areas.

For $u\in {\mathcal{E}}^{\prime }$, choose a cutoff function $\chi =1$ on a neighborhood of its support. Its extension to smooth functions makesindependent of the choice of cutoff. For real frequency, the definition of the distributional Fourier transform gives $F(\lambda )=\hat{u}(\lambda )$: interchange the pairing with the integral of a Schwartz function, using the finite-order estimate on the cutoff's compact support. On each compact set of complex frequencies the exponential and all its $x$ derivatives have uniformly convergent power series. Continuity of the distribution allows termwise differentiation, withConsequently $F$ is entire on ${\mathbb{C}}^n$.

For the precise exponential type, a fixed enlarged support would give an unnecessarily enlarged radius. Instead use the shrinking-cutoff exponential-type estimate. On one fixed compact neighborhood of the closed radius-$\delta$ ball, $u$ has finite order of a distribution $m$. Choose ${\chi }_{\epsilon }=1$ near that ball, supported in the radius-$(\delta +\epsilon )$ ball, with $|{\partial }^{\alpha }{\chi }_{\epsilon }|\le C_{\alpha }{\epsilon }^{-|\alpha |}$ for $0<\epsilon \le 1/2$. The finite-order estimate givesTake $\epsilon =[2(1+|z|){]}^{-1}$. Its extra exponential is bounded by $e^{1/2}$, while the derivative cost is polynomial. ThusThe entire function was defined with a fixed cutoff; only its bound uses a frequency-dependent cutoff, so no holomorphic dependence is lost. This proves the required estimate with some $N\ge 0$ without enlarging $\delta$.

For the converse, set $V(z)=e^{iz\cdot y}U(z)$. Its restriction to real frequencies has polynomial growth. Define the inverse tempered distribution $v$ byRapid decay of the Schwartz function transform proves convergence and continuity, and Fourier inversion gives $\hat{v}=V$ on real frequencies.

We prove its support directly by contour shifting, rather than assuming the support conclusion of the Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem. Let $\omega$ be a real unit vector and take a test function $\varphi$ supported in $x\cdot \omega \ge \delta +ϵ$ for some $ϵ>0$. For every integer $M\ge 0$, integration by parts in the real-frequency Fourier integral givesIndeed, move $(1-{\Delta }_x{)}^M$ from the oscillatory exponential to $e^{-t\omega \cdot x}\varphi$; its derivatives supply at most $2M$ powers of $t$.

The product $V(z)\hat{\varphi }(-z)$ is entire. Rotate coordinates so that $\omega$ is the first coordinate vector and apply Cauchy integral theorem to a rectangle in that one complex coordinate, integrating the remaining real coordinates afterwards. For fixed $t$, choose $2M>N+n+2$; the displayed decay estimate, uniformly on the intervening imaginary segment, makes the vertical faces vanish as the real rectangle width tends to infinity. The horizontal integrals are absolutely convergent. HenceUsing $(1+|\xi +it\omega |{)}^N\le C(1+t{)}^N(1+|\xi |{)}^N$ and the growth hypothesis bounds this pairing byIt tends to zero as $t\to \infty$, so the pairing vanishes. Every point outside the closed radius-$\delta$ ball lies in such a separating half-space; a finite partition of unity for the support of a test function outside the ball proves $\mathrm{supp}v\subset \overline{B}(0,\delta )$.

Translate this compactly supported distribution by $y$: define $⟨u,\varphi ⟩=⟨v,\varphi (\cdot +y)⟩$. The Translation property of the Fourier transform givesThe compact-support entire extension agrees with $U$ everywhere by the identity theorem, applied successively in the complex coordinates. Fourier inversion also gives uniqueness. This completes both directions of the ball version of the Paley–Wiener–Schwartz theorem.

For the wave equation, take a real constant $c\ne 0$. The Fourier transform method for the wave equation givesThis inverse tempered distribution is twice differentiable in $t$: time derivatives introduce polynomial frequency factors, still integrable against every Schwartz function. It has the specified initial displacement and zero initial velocity and satisfies the equation distributionally.

To apply the support theorem, replace the real norm by the entire wave cosine multiplierThis series is entire and equals $\cos (ct\sqrt{z\cdot z})$ regardless of the square-root choice. Write $z=a+ib$ and $q=\sqrt{z\cdot z}$. Since $|z\cdot z|\le |a{|}^2+|b{|}^2$,Together with $|\cos w|\le e^{|\mathrm{Im}w|}$, this yields $|C_t(z)|\le e^{|c|t|\mathrm{Im}z|}$. The forward estimate for the translated initial support now givesThe converse therefore proves finite propagation with the stated speed:In particular, $\sqrt{z\cdot z}$ itself need not be entire; it is the even cosine series that provides the required entire extension.

For completeness this construction identifies the distributional Cauchy solution even without initially assuming spatial temperedness. The zero-displacement wave multiplier is $S_{\tau }(z)={\int }_0^{\tau }{C}_s(z)ds$, entire with bound $|S_{\tau }(z)|\le \tau e^{|c|\tau |\mathrm{Im}z|}$. Given a compactly supported smooth $\varphi$ and final time $T$, the backward solution $w(s)={\mathcal{F}}^{-1}[S_{T-s}\hat{\varphi }]$ is smooth, has support in one compact ball for $0\le s\le T$ by the same support theorem, and satisfies $w(T)=0$, $w_s(T)=-\varphi$. For the difference $h$ of two distributional solutions with zero initial data,All pairings use compactly supported test functions. The expression vanishes initially and equals $⟨h(T),\varphi ⟩$ finally. Hence $h(T)=0$, establishing uniqueness in the usual time-differentiable distributional solution class.

One version of the Klainerman-Sobolev inequality, for a sufficiently decaying smooth function $\psi$ on ${\mathbb{R}}^{1+3}$, isHere $I$ denotes a word of length $|I|$ in the following eleven commutation vector fields for the wave equation:The first four are spacetime translation vector fields; the next three are spatial rotation vector fields; the next three are Lorentz boost vector fields; and $S$ is the scaling vector field. The vector field method for wave equations uses these vector fields because their commutators with the d'Alembert operator obeyIn particular the Klainerman-Sobolev inequality impliesThe displayed L2 norms are spatial norms at fixed time; the spacetime vector fields can contain time derivatives. No wave equation assumption is needed for the Klainerman-Sobolev inequality itself.

The sign convention makes this a defocusing semilinear wave equation:Its wave energy includes a nonnegative potential term:For a smooth function solution, finite propagation speed preserves compact support on finite time intervals. Differentiate under the integral and use integration by parts:Equivalently the local conservation law has density $e={\varphi }_t^2/2+|\nabla \varphi {|}^2/2+{\varphi }^4/4$ and flux $-{\varphi }_t\nabla \varphi$. All three terms are nonnegative, and $E=0$ forces both Cauchy data to vanish. Hence this is a positive conserved energy, rather than the indefinite energy associated with the opposite sign.

We use the homogeneous version of the Sobolev embedding theorem in three dimensions:Here homogeneous Sobolev space ${\dot{H}}^1$ is the completion of compactly supported smooth functions in the L2 norm of the gradient, identified with its $L^6$ representative. Apply this Sobolev inequality both to $\varphi$ and to its spatial derivatives.

LetThe Plancherel theorem identifies the L2 norm of the Hessian matrix with $\Vert \varphi {\Vert }_{{\dot{H}}^2}$, because ${\sum }_{i,j}{\xi }_i^2{\xi }_j^2=|\xi {|}^4$. In particular,Differentiating the defocusing semilinear wave equation gives $\square ({\partial }_i\varphi )=3{\varphi }^2{\partial }_i\varphi$. By the Holder inequality with exponents $3$ and $6$, the preceding Sobolev inequality, and conservation of the positive wave energy,Use the inhomogeneous wave energy estimate simultaneously for the three spatial derivatives. It givesThe Gronwall inequality therefore yields $B(t)\le D\exp (CEt)$. We may take the continuous, locally bounded functionThe constant is universal; the dependence on the initial data is only through $D$ and $E$. The H2 bound for the defocusing cubic wave equation holds on every existing smooth interval, without assuming the global conclusion. If $D=0$ or $E=0$, the zero solution satisfies the same estimate.

The inverse function theorem applied to $X_t$ makes $u_0\circ X_t^{-1}$ smooth. Since $u_0(\pm A)=0$, $X_t(\pm A)=\pm A+ct$. Monotonicity of the characteristic flow map and the vanishing of $u_0$ outside $[-A,A]$ implyThus the solution is a smooth function with compact support at each such time. The fact that some interior characteristic speeds differ from $c$ causes no difficulty: they cannot cross the two exterior characteristic curves before $t^{\ast }$.

Use complex-linear distributions, so the pairing contains no complex conjugation. The space of smooth functions is $\mathcal{E}(X)=C^{\infty }(X)$, with seminormsThus $f_j\to f$ means uniform convergence of every derivative on every compact subset of $X$. A cofinal compact exhaustion with $K_j\subset \mathrm{int}{K}_{j+1}$ makes $p_j=p_{K_j,j}$ an increasing defining family. Such an exhaustion exists for every open set; for example, use bounded sets staying a positive distance from its complement and enlarge them slightly. This is a Fréchet space.

The compactly supported distribution space is the continuous dual space ${\mathcal{E}}^{\prime }(X)$. We use its weak-star topology: $u_j\to u$ precisely when $⟨u_j,f⟩\to ⟨u,f⟩$ for every $f\in \mathcal{E}(X)$. A stronger standard choice is the strong dual topology, which requires uniform convergence on bounded subsets of $\mathcal{E}(X)$; specifying the weak convention avoids conflating these definitions.

A continuous linear functional necessarily takes null sequences to zero. Conversely, suppose a linear functional $u$ fails to be continuous. For each $j$, it is unbounded on $\{f:p_j(f)\le 1\}$; otherwise scaling would give a continuity estimate. We can therefore choose $f_j$ withFor each fixed $l$, $p_l(f_j)\le p_j(f_j)\to 0$ once $j\ge l$. This contradicts the assumed null-sequence property. Hence sequential continuity characterizes the continuous dual:This is the sequential continuity criterion in a metrizable vector space applied to a linear functional.

Continuity also yields one compact $K⋐X$, an integer $m$ and a constant $C$ such that $|u(f)|\le C{p}_{K,m}(f)$. Thus $u$ has compact support in $K$ and finite order of a distribution. Conversely, a compactly supported distribution extends to $\mathcal{E}(X)$ by $u(f)=u(\eta f)$, where a cutoff function $\eta$ equals one near its support of a distribution. The local finite-order estimate makes this extension continuous and independent of $\eta$. This identifies the dual definition with compactly supported distributions.

Here is an explicit compact continuous-derivative representation of a distribution. Extend $u$ by zero to ${\mathbb{R}}^n$ using a cutoff function inside $X$, retaining finite order $m$. Put $r=m+2$ andThis locally $C^m$ function satisfies ${\partial }^{\gamma }E={\delta }_0$. Indeed, each one-dimensional factor has $r$th distributional derivative equal to the Dirac delta distribution. The convolution $F=u\ast E$ is continuous: the finite-order estimate extends $u$ to $C^m$ functions near its compact support, and translated $E$ varies continuously in their $C^m$ norms. Equivalently, mollify $E$ and use the estimate to obtain local uniform convergence of the convolved functions. Distributional differentiation gives ${\partial }^{\gamma }F=u$.

Choose $\chi \in C_c^{\infty }(X)$ equal to one near $\mathrm{supp}u$. Since $\chi u=u$, repeated Leibniz rule givesEvery coefficient function on the right is continuous and compactly supported in $X$. Thus the required representation is finite:The equality first holds on test functions and then on all smooth functions after inserting a common cutoff, so it holds in ${\mathcal{E}}^{\prime }(X)$.