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The author would like to acknowledge his obligation to all his (;Olleagues and friends at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University for their stimulation and criticism which have contributed to the writing of this tract. The author also wishes to thank Aughtum S. Howard for permission to include results from her unpublished dissertation, Larkin Joyner for drawing the figures, Interscience Publishers for their cooperation and support, and particularly Lipman Bers, who suggested the publication in its present form. New Rochelle FRITZ JOHN September, 1955 [v] CONTENTS Introduction. . . . . . . 1 CHAPTER I Decomposition of an Arbitrary Function into Plane Waves Explanation of notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The spherical mean of a function of a single coordinate. 7 9 Representation of a function by its plane integrals . CHAPTER II Tbe Initial Value Problem for Hyperbolic Homogeneous Equations with Constant Coefficients Hyperbolic equations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Geometry of the normal surface for a strictly hyperbolic equation. 16 Solution of the Cauchy problem for a strictly hyperbolic equation . 20 Expression of the kernel by an integral over the normal surface. 23 The domain of dependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The wave equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The initial value problem for hyperbolic equations with a normal surface having multiple points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 CHAPTER III The Fundamental Solution of a Linear Elliptic Differential Equation witL Analytic Coefficients Definition of a fundamental solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The Cauchy problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Solution of the inhomogeneous equation with a plane wavefunction as right hand side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The fundamental solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The author would like to acknowledge his obligation to all his (;Olleagues and friends at the Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University for their stimulation and criticism which have contributed to the writing of this tract. The author also wishes to thank Aughtum S. Howard for permission to include results from her unpublished dissertation, Larkin Joyner for drawing the figures, Interscience Publishers for their cooperation and support, and particularly Lipman Bers, who suggested the publication in its present form. New Rochelle FRITZ JOHN September, 1955 [v] CONTENTS Introduction. . . . . . . 1 CHAPTER I Decomposition of an Arbitrary Function into Plane Waves Explanation of notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The spherical mean of a function of a single coordinate. 7 9 Representation of a function by its plane integrals . CHAPTER II Tbe Initial Value Problem for Hyperbolic Homogeneous Equations with Constant Coefficients Hyperbolic equations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Geometry of the normal surface for a strictly hyperbolic equation. 16 Solution of the Cauchy problem for a strictly hyperbolic equation . 20 Expression of the kernel by an integral over the normal surface. 23 The domain of dependence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The wave equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The initial value problem for hyperbolic equations with a normal surface having multiple points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 CHAPTER III The Fundamental Solution of a Linear Elliptic Differential Equation witL Analytic Coefficients Definition of a fundamental solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The Cauchy problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Solution of the inhomogeneous equation with a plane wavefunction as right hand side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The fundamental solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

These Notes grew out of a course given by the author in 1952-53. Though the field of Partial Differential Equations has changed considerably since those days, particularly under the impact of methods taken from Functional Analysis, the author feels that the introductory material offered here still is basic for an understanding of the subject. It supplies the necessary intuitive foundation which motivates and anticipates abstract formulations of the questions and relates them to the description of natual phenomena. Added to this second corrected edition is a collection of problems and solutions, which illustrate and supplement the theories developed in the text. Fritz John New York September, 1974 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Introd uction 1 CHAPrER I - THE SINGLE FIRST ORDER EQUATION 1. The linear and quasi-linear equations. 6 2. The general first order equation for a function of two variables. • • • • • • • • • 15 The general first order equation for a function 3. of n independent variables. • • • • • 37 CHAPrER II - THE CAUCHY PROBLEM FOR HIGHER ORDER EQUATIONS 1. Analytic functions of several real variables • 48 2. Formulation of the Cauchy problem. The notion of characteristics. • • • 54 3. The Cauchy problem for the general non-linear equation ••• 71 4. The Cauchy-Kowalewsky theorem. 76 CHAPTER III - SECOND ORDER EQUATIONS WITH CONSTANT COEFFICIENTS 1. Equations in two independent variables.

The book has been completely rewritten for this new edition. While most of the material found in the earlier editions has been retained, though in changed form, there are considerable additions, in which extensive use is made of Fourier transform techniques, Hilbert space, and finite difference methods. A condensed version of the present work was presented in a series of lectures as part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research -Indian Insti­ tute of Science Mathematics Programme in Bangalore in 1977. I am indebted to Professor K. G. Ramanathan for the opportunity to participate in this excit­ ing educational venture, and to Professor K. Balagangadharan for his ever ready help and advice and many stimulating discussions. Very special thanks are due to N. Sivaramakrishnan and R. Mythili, who ably and cheerfully prepared notes of my lectures which I was able to use as the nucleus of the present edition. A word about the choice of material. The constraints imposed by a partial differential equation on its solutions (like those imposed by the environment on a living organism) have an infinite variety of con­ sequences, local and global, identities and inequalities. Theories of such equations usually attempt to analyse the structure of individual solutions and of the whole manifold of solutions by testing the compatibility of the differential equation with various types of additional constraints.