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For fixed $\epsilon >0$, the derivative of ${\sigma }_{\epsilon }$ is zero on $(-\infty ,\epsilon /2]$, bounded on the compact transition interval $[\epsilon /2,\epsilon ]$, and equals $1/(2\sqrt{x})\le 1/(2\sqrt{\epsilon })$ for $x\ge \epsilon$. Thus ${\sigma }_{\epsilon }$ is globally Lipschitz, with at most linear growth. The global existence theorem for stochastic differential equations with Lipschitz coefficients supplies a global strong stochastic solution and pathwise uniqueness for the modified equation.

The solution stays nonnegative. More precisely, if $z>\epsilon /2$, it cannot cross $\epsilon /2$: on reaching this level the constant continuation solves the equation, and pathwise uniqueness forces that continuation. If $z\le \epsilon /2$, it is constant from the outset. In either case $Z^{\epsilon }$ is a nonnegative local martingale, so $\mathbb{E}{Z}_s^{\epsilon }\le z$.

For ${\epsilon }^{\prime }<\epsilon <z$, both coefficients agree with $\sqrt{x}$ on $[\epsilon ,\infty )$. Stop the two solutions when either first reaches $\epsilon$, and also at a common upper bound. On the resulting compact state interval, the coefficient is Lipschitz. The Itô isometry applied to their difference, followed by the Gronwall inequality, gives zero expected squared difference. Remove the upper bound using the nonexplosion of each modified solution. The two solutions agree until the first of these lower exits, and by continuity both have value $\epsilon$ there, so their exits at that level coincide. In particular,up to indistinguishability. If $\epsilon \ge z$, the first exit time is zero and the same assertion is immediate from their initial values.

Now take a decreasing sequence $0<{\epsilon }_n<z$ with ${\epsilon }_n\downarrow 0$. Write $Z^n=Z^{{\epsilon }_n}$ and ${\tau }_n=T_{{\epsilon }_n}$. Compatibility gives ${\tau }_n\le {\tau }_{n+1}$; indeed, a continuous path cannot reach the smaller level before reaching the larger one. Let $\tau ={\lim }_n{\tau }_n$, a stopping time. On $[0,\tau )$ the compatible solutions define an adapted continuous process $Z$ by setting $Z_t=Z_t^n$ whenever $t\le {\tau }_n$. We still need to justify the finite limiting endpoint and the integral equation there, rather than assume they exist.

For this purpose use the compatible predictable integrandsTheir squares increase pointwise with $n$: on the smaller interval compatibility makes the values equal, and outside it the old integrand is zero. Their limit $H$ is predictable and equals $\sqrt{Z_s}$ before $\tau$, and zero after $\tau$, apart from irrelevant single-time endpoints. For every finite $t$,The monotone convergence theorem gives $\mathbb{E}{\int }_0^t{H}_s^{2}ds\le zt$. Moreover, compatibility makes $(H-H^n{)}^2=H^2-(H^n{)}^2$ away from endpoints, so its expected time-integral tends to zero. The Itô isometry, and the Doob L2 maximal inequality if uniform convergence on a finite time interval is desired, therefore give a continuous stochastic-integral limitBefore ${\tau }_n$, the integrand agrees with $\sqrt{Z^n}$, which is the original square-root coefficient there. Locality of the stochastic integral yields $L_{t\wedge {\tau }_n}=Z_{t\wedge {\tau }_n}^n$. A countable intersection in $n$ and path continuity give this equality simultaneously for all times.

On $\{\tau <\infty \}$, every ${\tau }_n$ is finite and $L_{{\tau }_n}={\epsilon }_n$. Continuity of $L$ thus gives $L_{\tau }=0$. The limiting integrand is zero after $\tau$, so $L$ remains zero afterward. On $\{\tau =\infty \}$, every finite time is covered by one of the compatible positive solutions. Consequently $L$ is nonnegative everywhere and $H_s=\sqrt{L_s}$ for almost every $s$, including after absorption. The cutoff construction of an absorbed square-root diffusion has producedAll modified solutions, stopping times and integrands were constructed from the same prescribed Brownian motion; hence this is a strong stochastic solution. The integral is square-integrable on every finite horizon by the bound $zt$, which also rules out a hidden finite-time explosion in the patching argument.

A nonnegative diffusion with zero absorbing, often called the critical Feller branching diffusion; other conventions multiply the coefficient by a fixed positive constant. Its diffusion coefficient is not Lipschitz at zero. Independent copies add according to the addition law for square-root branching diffusions, and a cutoff construction of an absorbed square-root diffusion gives strong existence without applying the global Lipschitz theorem to the original coefficient.