B3.12
Part II, 2003
Explain what is meant by the characteristic function of a real-valued random variable and prove that is also a characteristic function of some random variable.
Let us say that a characteristic function is infinitely divisible when, for each , we can write for some characteristic function . Prove that, in this case, the limit
exists for all real and is continuous at .
Using Lévy's continuity theorem for characteristic functions, which you should state carefully, deduce that is a characteristic function. Hence show that, if is infinitely divisible, then cannot vanish for any real .