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For a continuous local martingale $M$, its stochastic exponential isThe Itô formula gives $d{Z}_t=Z_{t}d{M}_t$ and $Z_0=1$, so $Z$ is a strictly positive local martingale. The finite-horizon Girsanov theorem says: if $Z$ is a true martingale on $[0,T]$ and $d\tilde{\mathbb{P}}=Z_{T}d\mathbb{P}$ on ${\mathcal{F}}_T$, then for every continuous local martingale $N$ under $\mathbb{P}$,For an infinite-horizon change of measure, assume $Z$ is a uniformly integrable martingale and use its terminal density $Z_{\infty }$. In particular, if $M=\int \theta dB$, the process $\tilde{B}=B-\int \theta ds$ is Brownian motion under the new probability measure, by the Lévy characterization of Brownian motion.

The quadratic variation cannot change. Adding the continuous finite-variation process $-[N,M]$ leaves $[\tilde{N}]=[N]$. Also the same pathwise partition sums defining $[N]$ have the same limit under an absolutely continuous change of measure; convergence in probability transfers by integrability of the density. Thus the bracket of the unchanged process $N$, now a semimartingale, is also unchanged. The local martingale property itself need not survive. This is quadratic covariation under an absolutely continuous measure change.

A continuous martingale is an adapted process with almost surely continuous paths, $\mathbb{E}|M_t|<\infty$ for every $t$, andA continuous local martingale is continuous and adapted and has a localizing sequence of stopping times $T_n\uparrow \infty$ almost surely such that every $M_t^{T_n}=M_{t\wedge T_n}$ is a true martingale. The initial value is normally integrable; the frequently used class ${\mathcal{M}}_{c,\mathrm{loc}}$ is normalized to start at zero.

The usual conditions for a filtration are completeness and right continuity. Completeness means that ${\mathcal{F}}_0$ contains every subset of each $\mathbb{P}$-null set in the ambient $\mathcal{F}$; right continuity means ${\mathcal{F}}_t={\bigcap }_{u>t}{\mathcal{F}}_u$. These conditions concern the filtered probability space, whereas continuity of a martingale concerns its sample paths.

Use two standard results: for every continuous local martingale $U$, there is a unique continuous adapted increasing quadratic variation $[U]$, starting at zero, such that $U^2-U_0^2-[U]$ is a local martingale; and a continuous finite-variation local martingale is constant.

Define the quadratic covariation by the polarization identityThis is continuous, adapted, starts at zero, and is of finite variation on compact time intervals. Since $(M+N{)}^2-(M-N{)}^2=4MN$, subtraction of the two quadratic-variation identities shows that $MN-M_0{N}_0-[M,N]$ is a continuous local martingale. In the zero-start convention this is exactly $MN-[M,N]\in {\mathcal{M}}_{c,\mathrm{loc}}$.

If $A$ is another continuous adapted finite-variation process with $A_0=0$ and the same local martingale property, then $A-[M,N]$ is both a continuous local martingale and of finite variation. It is constant, and its initial value is zero, so it vanishes. Uniqueness is up to indistinguishability of stochastic processes.

The normalization $[M,N{]}_0=0$ is essential. If arbitrary nonzero initial constants are allowed in the martingale class and this normalization is omitted, adding a constant to the bracket preserves the claimed property. The usual definition of quadratic covariation always includes the zero initial value.

The Lévy characterization of Brownian motion states that an adapted continuous real process $M$ with $M_0=0$ is standard Brownian motion relative to $({\mathcal{F}}_t)$ if and only if it is a continuous local martingale and $[M{]}_t=t$. The multidimensional version replaces the bracket identity by $[M^i,M^j{]}_t={\delta }_{ij}t$.

For the converse direction, a standard Brownian motion is a continuous martingale, and its independent centered increments give quadratic variation $t$. Distinct independent coordinates have zero quadratic covariation.

For the substantive direction, fix a vector $\theta \in {\mathbb{R}}^d$. The Itô formula applied toshows that its drift is zero: the second-order term is $-\frac{1}{2}|\theta {|}^2{E}_{t}dt$ and cancels the time derivative. Thus $E(\theta )$ is a complex local martingale. On $[0,T]$ its modulus is the deterministic value $e^{|\theta {|}^{2}t/2}\le e^{|\theta {|}^{2}T/2}$; localization and the dominated convergence theorem make it a true martingale. HenceThis conditional characteristic function is the deterministic characteristic function of $N(0,(t-s)I)$. For $A\in {\mathcal{F}}_s$, multiplying by $1_A$ and taking expectations, then using uniqueness of characteristic functions, proves that $M_t-M_s$ has this multivariate normal distribution and is independent of ${\mathcal{F}}_s$. Iterated conditioning gives independent increments with Gaussian distributions. Continuity, the zero initial value and these increment laws are the definition of standard Brownian motion. The case $d=1$ proves the requested statement; the vector form will also be used below.

Interpret $f$ as a conformal bijection onto $D^{\prime }$. If it is merely an injective map into a larger target, the correct exit domain is $f(D)$ instead. Let $\zeta$ be the exit time from $D$, write $f=u+iv$, and identify planar Brownian motion with $B^1+i{B}^2$. The Cauchy-Riemann equations give $u_x=v_y$, $u_y=-v_x$, and both $u,v$ are harmonic functions. The Itô formula, localized on compact subsets of $D$, yieldsThus both coordinates are continuous local martingales, withSince $f^{\prime }$ never vanishes, $A$ is strictly increasing before $\zeta$. Let ${\eta }_s=\inf \{t:A_t>s\}$, defined for $s<A_{\zeta -}$. The optional time-change theorem gives continuous local martingale coordinates for ${\beta }_s=f(B_{{\eta }_s})$, with bracket matrix $sI$. The Lévy characterization of multidimensional Brownian motion makes $\beta$ a standard planar Brownian motion started at $f(z)$, up to its lifetime. Therefore conformal invariance of planar Brownian motion takes the formTo identify the lifetime, exhaust $D$ by relatively compact open sets $D_n$ with nested closures. The images $f(D_n)$ exhaust $D^{\prime }$ because $f$ is a homeomorphism onto $D^{\prime }$. Each stopped transformed path exits $f(D_n)$ at precisely the clock value of its exit from $D_n$. Increasing these exit times gives the exit lifetime of Brownian motion from $D^{\prime }$, including a possibly infinite lifetime. This identifies $A_{\zeta -}$ with that lifetime and needs no global extension of $f$ to the boundary.

For a harmonic function $u$ on $\mathbb{C}\cong {\mathbb{R}}^2$, the Itô formula givesStop on leaving increasing discs and at increasing deterministic times. On each such interval the gradient is bounded, so the stochastic integral is a martingale. This proves that $u(B)$ is a continuous local martingale.

If $|u|\le K$, this is a bounded local martingale and hence a true martingale. Start Brownian motion at an arbitrary $z$. Its Gaussian heat kernel givesFor a unit vector $e$, ${\partial }_e{p}_t(v)=-(e\cdot v)p_t(v)/t$, so $\int |{\partial }_e{p}_t(v)|dv=\sqrt{2/\pi }/\sqrt{t}$. Integrating the directional derivative along the segment from $z$ to $w$ yieldsLetting $t\to \infty$ gives the harmonic Liouville theorem:This Gaussian heat-kernel proof of the harmonic Liouville theorem uses the bounded martingale identity established above.

The Itô formula for $f(t,x)=e^{x+at}$ gives the stochastic differential equationWrite $N_t={\int }_0^t{Z}_{u}d{B}_u$ for its continuous local martingale part. Its clock is the quadratic variationBecause $Z_t>0$, $A$ is strictly increasing. For $s<A_{\infty }$, its inverse ${\tau }_s$ satisfies $A_{{\tau }_s}=s$ and $d{\tau }_s/ds=Z_{{\tau }_s}^{-2}$. The Dambis-Dubins-Schwarz theorem, or the Lévy characterization of Brownian motion after the optional time-change theorem, makes ${\beta }_s=N_{{\tau }_s}$ a Brownian motion for the time-changed filtration. With $Y_s=Z_{{\tau }_s}$,This is the Bessel process equation with dimension $\boxed{2+2a}$, on the positive stochastic interval. This establishes the Exponential Brownian-to-Bessel time change.

The lifetime convention is important: the inverse is defined only for $s<A_{\infty }$. If $a<0$, the strong law for Brownian motion gives $B_t/t\to 0$, so $Z_t\to 0$ exponentially and $A_{\infty }<\infty$. Then $Y_s\to 0$ as $s\uparrow A_{\infty }$, and this is its first hit of zero after continuous extension. If $a>0$ the clock diverges by the same strong law. If $a=0$ it diverges by infinite occupation time of one-dimensional Brownian motion on a bounded interval, since $e^{2B_t}$ is bounded below there. Thus the lifetime is infinite when $a\ge 0$. Negative dimensions are interpreted by the same positive-state equation killed at zero; no post-zero Bessel process behavior is asserted.

Use polarization identity of the quadratic variations:This is continuous and adapted, starts at zero, and has finite variation on every compact interval because it is a difference of two nondecreasing processes. The defining quadratic variation property gives that $(M+N{)}^2-[M+N]$ and $(M-N{)}^2-[M-N]$ are continuous local martingales; their difference divided by four is $MN-[M,N]$. This proves existence without assuming a product formula involving an as yet undefined quadratic covariation.

If $C$ and $D$ both satisfy the requirements, $C-D$ is a continuous finite-variation process and a local martingale. By continuous finite-variation local martingale is constant, it is constant; its initial value is zero, so $C=D$ up to indistinguishability of stochastic processes.

There is a minor initial-value convention in this characterization. The displayed uncentred local martingale identity is directly valid when $M_0=N_0=0$, or when the initial terms have the requisite integrability. With arbitrary finite initial values, centre the quadratic variation construction and use $MN-M_0{N}_0-[M,N]$, which starts at zero. Adding back $M_0{N}_0$ requires it to be integrable under the usual definition of a local martingale; the quadratic covariation itself is unaffected by centring.

The printed assumptions omit the orthogonality needed for the claimed local martingales. Merely placing two Brownian motions on the same probability space does not make them independent. Interpret both as Brownian motions relative to a common filtration, and put $C_t=[B,\vartheta {]}_t$. For $X=e^B\cos \vartheta$ and $Y=e^B\sin \vartheta$, the two-variable Itô formula givesThe pure second derivatives cancel because $[B{]}_t=[\vartheta {]}_t=t$, while the mixed partial derivatives are $X_{b\vartheta }=-Y$ and $Y_{b\vartheta }=X$. Thus the mixed quadratic covariation term cannot be omitted.

For a counterexample allowed by the PDF, take $\vartheta =B$. Then $C_t=t$ and $X$ has drift $-Ydt$, while $Y$ has drift $Xdt$. In particular $X_0=1$ makes the latter drift nonzero near zero, so $Y$ is not a local martingale. Nor is $X$: $Y$ cannot be identically zero, so its accumulated continuous drift is not identically zero. Uniqueness of the continuous semimartingale decomposition excludes cancellation by another local martingale term.

The corrected hypothesis is $[B,\vartheta ]\equiv 0$, for example independent Brownian motions in their joint filtration. Conversely, if both were local martingales, uniqueness of the continuous semimartingale decomposition would force $YdC=XdC=0$; since $X^2+Y^2=e^{2B}>0$, this forces $dC=0$. Thus the correction is exactly the condition needed for both local martingales. Under this hypothesis the drift terms vanish and the intended stochastic differential equations are $dX=XdB-Yd\vartheta$ and $dY=YdB+Xd\vartheta$. The continuous integrands are locally bounded, so localization makes these Itô integrals continuous local martingales. Subsequent intended conclusions are proved under this explicitly stated correction.

Under the corrected hypothesis, $N_t=X_t-1$ is a continuous local martingale with $N_0=0$, $[N{]}_t=A_t={\int }_0^t{e}^{2B_s}ds$, and $A_{\infty }=\infty$ almost surely. The Dambis-Dubins-Schwarz theorem states that, for such a process,defines a standard Brownian motion relative to the filtration ${\mathcal{F}}_{{\tau }_u}$, and $N_t=W_{[N{]}_t}$. The divergence of the quadratic variation ensures every ${\tau }_u$ is finite, so no extension of the probability space is needed. Here $A$ is continuous and strictly increasing because its derivative is $e^{2B_t}>0$, so the inverse is particularly straightforward. Consequently,The constructed Brownian motion need not be independent of its random clock. Under the literal PDF assumptions $X$ need not be a local martingale, as the counterexample in part (a) shows, so this Dambis-Dubins-Schwarz theorem conclusion cannot be asserted without the correction.

Set $V(x)=(1+x^2{)}^{-1}$ and $A_t={\int }_0^{t}V(B_s)ds$. On a fixed horizon $T$, the Itô formula and Itô product rule giveThe drift vanishes by the partial differential equation. This makes $M$ a continuous local martingale. Since $0\le A_t\le T$,The right side is a finite deterministic bound under the stated boundedness assumption, so the dominated convergence theorem removes a localizing sequence and $M$ is a true martingale. If the derivatives are also bounded, the Itô isometry alternatively proves the stochastic integral is square-integrable because $\mathbb{E}{\int }_0^T{e}^{2A_s}|u_x(T-s,B_s){|}^{2}ds\le T{e}^{2T}\Vert u_x{\Vert }_{\infty }^2$.

For the bounded parabolic differentiability class, distinguish global bounds from bounds on each finite time slab. Only the latter are needed here; a single global bound on the classical solution $u$ would conflict with its requested long-time growth in part (c).

For a deterministic partition of an interval $0=t_0<\cdots <t_m=t$, put $Q_{\pi }={\sum }_j{\Delta }_{j}B{\Delta }_j\tilde{B}$. Independence of the two Brownian motions and their independent increments givesThe defining sums for quadratic covariation therefore converge to zero in the L2 space and in probability. Hence, with the continuous versions of the quadratic covariation,Equality holds simultaneously for all $t$ by checking rational times and using continuity. For continuous local martingales, the angle-bracket notation here agrees with quadratic covariation.

Let $U_t=(1,0,0)+(B_t^1,B_t^2,B_t^3)$, with three independent standard Brownian motions, and set $R_t=|U_t|$ and $M_t=R_t^{-1}$. The radial stochastic process $R$ is a three-dimensional Bessel process, which never hits zero by the Hitting-zero classification for a Bessel process. In three dimensions $u\mapsto |u{|}^{-1}$ is a harmonic function away from zero: direct differentiation gives $\Delta (|u{|}^{-1})=0$.

For the stopping times $T_n=\inf \{t:R_t\notin (1/n,n)\}$, $n\ge 2$, the Itô formula givesThe coefficients are bounded by $n^2$, so each stopped Itô integral is a true martingale on every finite horizon. The stopping times form a localizing sequence; as permitted, its divergence need not be proved here. Thus $M$ is a nonnegative continuous local martingale.

To see that $M$ is not a true martingale, integrate the three-dimensional multivariate normal density of $U_t$ in spherical coordinates. The angular integral yieldswhere $\Phi$ is the standard normal distribution function. Therefore the reciprocal of a three-dimensional Bessel process is a strict local martingale.

The usual quadratic variation convention includes $⟨M{⟩}_0=0$. If $A,C$ are two continuous finite-variation processes with $A_0=C_0=0$ such that $M^2-A$ and $M^2-C$ are continuous local martingales, then $A-C$ is a continuous local martingale of finite variation. It must be constant, and its initial value is zero, so $A=C$ up to indistinguishability of stochastic processes.

Here is a proof of the fact used. Subtract the initial value of a continuous local martingale $N$ of finite variation, and stop so that both $|N|$ and its total-variation process are bounded by deterministic constants. The stopped local martingale is a bounded true martingale, so orthogonality of its increments gives, on any deterministic partition of an interval of $[0,t]$,Continuity and the dominated convergence theorem justify the last limit. Remove stopping and use continuity on a countable dense set of times to conclude $N\equiv 0$.

As literally printed, uniqueness is false without normalization. If $A$ works then $A+c$ also works for any deterministic constant $c$, since subtracting a constant preserves the local martingale property; this is a genuine omitted convention.

With normalization, existence always holds for a continuous local martingale. Its quadratic variation $[M]$, obtained as the limit in probability of squared increments, is continuous, increasing, starts at zero and satisfies $M^2-[M]$ is a continuous local martingale, so taking $⟨M⟩=[M]$ supplies the required finite-variation process.