Locally Lipschitz solutions of a single conservation law in several space variables

We consider the Cauchy problem for a single conservation law in several space variables. Letting u(x, t) denote the solution with initial data u₀, we state necessary and sufficient conditions on u₀ so that u(x, t) is locally Lipschitz continuous in the half space {t > 0}. These conditions allow for the preservation of smoothness of u₀ as well as for the smooth resolution of discontinuities in u₀. One consequence of our result is that u(x, t) cannot be locally Lipschitz unless u₀ has locally bounded variation. Another is that solutions which are bounded and locally Lipschitz continuous in {t > 0} automatically have boundary values u₀ at t = 0 in the sense that u(·, t) → u₀ in L_loc¹. Finally, we give an elementary proof that locally Lipschitz solutions satisfy Kruzkov's uniqueness condition.