B3.12

Probability and Measure
Part II, 2004

(a) Let (Ω,F,P)(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbb{P}) be a probability space and let θ:ΩΩ\theta: \Omega \rightarrow \Omega be measurable. What is meant by saying that θ\theta is measure-preserving? Define an invariant event and an invariant random variable, and explain what is meant by saying that θ\theta is ergodic.

(b) Let mm be a probability measure on (R,B)(\mathbb{R}, \mathcal{B}). Let

Ω=RN={x=(x1,x2,):xiR for i1}\Omega=\mathbb{R}^{\mathbb{N}}=\left\{x=\left(x_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots\right): x_{i} \in \mathbb{R} \text { for } i \geqslant 1\right\}

let F\mathcal{F} be the smallest σ\sigma-field of Ω\Omega with respect to which the coordinate maps Xn(x)=xnX_{n}(x)=x_{n}, for xΩ,n1x \in \Omega, n \geqslant 1, are measurable, and let P\mathbb{P} be the unique probability measure on (Ω,F)(\Omega, \mathcal{F}) satisfying

P(XiAi for 1in)=i=1nm(Ai)\mathbb{P}\left(X_{i} \in A_{i} \text { for } 1 \leqslant i \leqslant n\right)=\prod_{i=1}^{n} m\left(A_{i}\right)

for all AiB,n1A_{i} \in \mathcal{B}, n \geqslant 1. Define θ:ΩΩ\theta: \Omega \rightarrow \Omega by θ(x)=(x2,x3,)\theta(x)=\left(x_{2}, x_{3}, \ldots\right) for x=(x1,x2,)x=\left(x_{1}, x_{2}, \ldots\right).

(i) Show that θ\theta is measurable and measure-preserving.

(ii) Define the tail σ\sigma-field T\mathcal{T} of the coordinate maps X1,X2,X_{1}, X_{2}, \ldots, and show that the invariant σ\sigma-field I\mathcal{I} of θ\theta satisfies IT\mathcal{I} \subseteq \mathcal{T}. Deduce that θ\theta is ergodic. [Any general result used must be stated clearly but the proof may be omitted.]

(c) State Birkhoff's ergodic theorem and explain how to deduce that, given independent identically-distributed integrable random variables Y1,Y2,Y_{1}, Y_{2}, \ldots, there exists νR\nu \in \mathbb{R} such that

1n(Y1+Y2++Yn)ν a.e. as n.\frac{1}{n}\left(Y_{1}+Y_{2}+\cdots+Y_{n}\right) \rightarrow \nu \quad \text { a.e. as } \quad n \rightarrow \infty .