This paper deals with linear shift-invariant distributed systems. By this we mean systems described by constant coefficient linear partial differential equations. e de ne dissipativity with respect to a quadratic differential form, i.e., a quadratic functional in the system variables and their partial derivatives. The main result states the equivalence of dissipativity and the existence of a storage function or a dissipation rate. The proof of this result involves the construction of the dissipation rate. e show that this problem can be reduced to Hilbert's 17th problem on the representation of a nonnegative rational function as a sum of squares of rational functions.