Bounded-bracket criterion for a stochastic exponential Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-14
For a zero-start continuous local martingale with deterministically, its stochastic exponential is a uniformly integrable martingale. For each , . Its terminal value is strictly positive, so it defines an equivalent infinite-horizon change of measure by the Girsanov theorem.
If is smooth and is the unit-mean density martingale of a locally absolutely continuous probability measure relative to Wiener measure, then . The Itô formula gives when . The true-martingale hypothesis is already supplied by the density process. On each finite horizon the Girsanov theorem makes Brownian under the new measure. Positivity provides local equivalence; global infinite-horizon equivalence and the Novikov condition are not additional requirements.
For , a three-dimensional Bessel process stopped at has the law of Brownian motion conditioned to hit before zero and stopped at . On , the Girsanov theorem and the Itô formula give terminal density . Its value is at the upper exit and at the lower exit. Letting in bounded stopped-path functionals gives density relative to the corresponding stopped Wiener measure. The exit probability is by the optional stopping theorem, so the density is normalized. On the unstopped full path space the same density defines the conditioned Brownian law; pushing it forward by the stopping map gives the stopped Bessel law. The already-stopped law is not absolutely continuous relative to unstopped Wiener measure, since eventually constant paths have Wiener probability zero.
The scalar stochastic differential equation has a pathwise unique global strong solution, since its coefficients are globally Lipschitz. The positive martingale gives a Girsanov theorem change of measure under which is Brownian motion. For , its transition density is
This is a Doob h-transform with , and a mixture of and with weights and .
Drifted Brownian first-passage density Created 2026-10-07 Updated 2026-10-14
For a positive level , this density describes the first-passage time of . The Girsanov theorem multiplies the zero-drift density by the stopped likelihood . Its total mass is one for nonnegative drift and for negative drift; the latter has remaining mass at infinite hitting time.
For and , the distribution function is . The Brownian reflection principle gives the zero-drift terminal density below the barrier as for . Weight it by using the Girsanov theorem and complete squares in the two Gaussian integrals.
For bounded predictable on , the stochastic exponential is a positive martingale by the Novikov condition. Under , the Bayes formula for conditional expectation gives
Indeed, the square-root stock ratio is . This exact identity gives the bounds on square-root stock implied volatility by bounding integrated variance pathwise. The Girsanov theorem gives . The measure is an auxiliary pricing identity for this payoff, not a claim that it is an equivalent martingale measure for the original stock.
The laws on continuous paths of a standard Brownian motion and a Brownian motion with drift are mutually singular measures on the whole half-line. The event has full measure for the former and zero measure for the latter by the strong law for Brownian motion. On every fixed finite horizon, their laws are equivalent by the Girsanov theorem. The finite-horizon densities tend to zero almost surely while retaining expectation one, so they lack uniform integrability over all time.
The density-product proof of the Girsanov theorem makes drift-corrected zero-starting increments a local martingale under the new measure. Adding the initial random variable requires its integrability under that measure. This is automatic if the density is one at time zero, because the measures agree on the initial sigma-algebra. Without this normalization it can fail: take , , constant and constant . These are P-martingales and the prescribed exponential density is valid, but is not Q-integrable.
Here is the Brownian change-of-drift form of the Girsanov theorem. Let be a standard Brownian motion on and predictable with almost surely. Suppose the stochastic exponential
is a true martingale with . Define . Then is equivalent to and
The same statement holds in dimensions with scalar products, squared norms and a vector drift. Novikov's condition is a standard sufficient condition for the true-martingale hypothesis. Bounded is enough for all applications below.
For the proof, Itô formula gives . The Itô product rule gives the cancellation
The two drift terms cancel because . Stop when its absolute value reaches , at a time capped by . The same product calculation makes a local martingale under . Its absolute value is at most ; the density martingale is uniformly integrable over this finite horizon, so the stopped product is a true martingale. Bayes' conditional identity then gives
As increases, these stopping times exhaust the horizon by continuity. Thus is a continuous local martingale under . Adding a finite-variation drift does not change quadratic variation, so .
To prove the Brownian conclusion rather than just assert it, for every real apply Itô formula to . Its differential is , and its modulus is bounded on the fixed horizon, so it is a true martingale. Consequently
The conditional characteristic function identifies a centered normal increment with variance , independent of the past. Together with continuity and , this proves the Brownian assertion. For vector , the same argument uses and gives the multivariate version. If , stopping and applying Itô formula to gives a uniform second-moment bound by Gronwall inequality; this proves uniform integrability of the stopped densities and the needed true-martingale property in the bounded case.
In the Black-Scholes model with its usual augmented Brownian filtration, write , , with . Take , the market price of risk. Under , the preceding change of drift gives
so is a martingale. The Martingale representation theorem then makes integrable Brownian-market claims attainable and gives their risk-neutral pricing as discounted conditional expectations. The physical drift has disappeared from the price dynamics.
For the joint terminal-value and maximum law, first use the Brownian reflection principle at level . Reflecting a path after its first hit of preserves its law as a Brownian motion and sends a terminal value to ; the symmetry and strong Markov property of the post-hit increments justify this map. Thus, with ,
Take the constant-drift exponential density . By Girsanov theorem, the coordinate process under this tilted measure has the law of under . Consequently, for and ,
Completing the squares gives
Integrating proves
Here is the standard normal distribution function. The first variable is the terminal Brownian value, distinct from its running maximum.
Set , and . Under the risk-neutral measure, . Taking in the joint law gives the probability of not hitting the upper level. Complementing it and discounting the unit payment at maturity gives the one-touch option price
The exponential weight is also . The payment occurs at , even if the barrier was hit earlier, so its discount factor is , not a hitting-time discount factor.
The entire term structure is naturally indexed by observation time and maturity. Work under a risk-neutral measure and let be the instantaneous forward rate, with . Define the short rate , the bank account and the zero-coupon bond price
An arbitrary Gaussian mean and covariance need not make these bond prices consistent. Absence of arbitrage requires the discounted traded bonds to be martingales under a suitable equivalent measure. We derive the constraint explicitly.
Consider the Gaussian forward-rate field with deterministic mean and centered Gaussian random field satisfying
The maturity kernel is symmetric, and its increments in the first parameter must be positive semidefinite kernels. Assume continuity, separability and sufficient integrability for the following mean-square integrals and maturity derivatives. This covariance gives independent observation-time increments, while permitting correlated fluctuations across all maturities. The filtration contains the history of the whole observed forward curve.
For a fixed maturity , collect the past short rate and the present curve into the integrated Gaussian forward-rate process
Then . Its centered Gaussian variance is
For and an observed field coordinate with , the covariance of with it is zero: the integrand is
The uncorrelated jointly Gaussian variables are independent principle therefore makes the increment independent of the earlier field filtration. Its variance is , since the same covariance calculation gives . Conditional Gaussian exponential expectation now gives
Hence the exact bond-martingale condition is
Differentiating in maturity, using symmetry of the covariance, gives the Gaussian forward-rate covariance drift restriction
This is necessary and sufficient. For sufficiency, the derivatives of the half-variance identity agree by the displayed restriction. Its integration constant also agrees at , because
Thus the full identity follows for every , and the conditional expectation calculation proves a true martingale, not merely zero formal drift. The initial mean fits the observed initial curve exactly; thereafter the mean adjustment is fixed by the covariance.
If is time-differentiable, the forward drift is . Writing
with deterministic finite- or Hilbert-space factor loadings gives the Heath-Jarrow-Morton model
With , Itô formula independently verifies bond drift . Finite-factor models give low-rank maturity correlations; a genuine random field or an infinite factor space permits a much richer covariance structure. Gaussian forward rates and short rates may be negative, although the exponential bond prices stay positive. Under a physical measure, a Girsanov theorem market-risk-premium change adds to the forward drift; deterministic premia preserve Gaussianity, whereas arbitrary adapted premia need not.
For a concrete two-parameter example, let be a standard Brownian sheet, so . The restriction gives
Indeed . This demonstrates directly how a Gaussian random field determines the compensating forward drift.
For the one-factor constant-volatility case, , the Constant-coefficient Ho-Lee model has
and
These follow by integrating the explicit curve, not by assigning the short-rate drift independently. Exponentially decaying loadings instead give a Gaussian mean-reverting Hull-White model, with bond-rate loading .
A practical advantage is an explicit Gaussian bond-option formula. For a call of strike exercised at on a bond maturing at , use the T-forward measure with numéraire . The forward bond ratio has a lognormal distribution under that measure, with remaining integrated variance
Its martingale property makes the conditional log mean . Evaluating the positive-part lognormal integral gives
For , the limit is . The forward measure accounts for the stochastic short rate; discounting by one deterministic interest rate would generally be wrong. Calibration selects a positive-semidefinite covariance structure fitting observed rate co-movements and option prices, with the no-arbitrage mean restriction imposed afterward. With more independent factors than the available traded bond exposures span, the market is incomplete and additional claims need a specified pricing measure or risk-premium model. The Gaussian field is therefore a flexible curve model with explicit consistency and pricing equations, rather than a claim that all possible rate risks are hedgeable.
Let be the normal distribution density. The Brownian reflection principle gives the killed endpoint density
Indeed, reflection after the first hit of maps paths ending below that have hit the barrier to paths ending at ; symmetry gives .
By the Girsanov theorem, weighting the path law by makes the coordinate process a Brownian motion with drift . Completing the two squares yields
Integration up to proves the joint endpoint and maximum law for drifted Brownian motion:
Here is the standard normal distribution function. Setting also gives a continuous barrier distribution, so equality at the barrier has zero probability.
For the up-and-in option, use the risk-neutral measure of the Black-Scholes model with interest rate and spot volatility . Then
Above , the barrier has certainly been reached. Below , subtracting the killed density from the unrestricted endpoint density leaves . Thus the discounted expected value of its payoff is
In the second integral put , and define
Then , means , and . Both integrals now use the unrestricted terminal stock distribution. This proves that the reflected European payoff for an up-and-in option is
Their initial risk-neutral pricing values agree for payoffs with finite absolute expectations in these integrals. The identity concerns prices; the two terminal payoffs need not agree along individual paths.
Here is a finite-horizon Girsanov theorem statement with the sign fixed explicitly. Let be a Brownian motion under , and let be predictable with almost surely. If
is a true martingale with , then the measure defined by makes a Brownian motion up to . The sufficient Novikov condition is . Merely being a local martingale is not a sufficient density condition.
For a deterministic absolutely continuous function with and derivative , take . Novikov's condition holds because its exponential is deterministic and finite. Under , the canonical process has the law of a Brownian motion plus . Thus for every bounded measurable path functional ,
This derives the Cameron-Martin theorem density formula from the Girsanov theorem, rather than assuming the two measures have the same drift convention. Replacing by changes the sign of the stochastic integral.
The question's path space is the whole half-line, not just one finite horizon. When , the density martingale satisfies
It has a uniformly integrable limit of mean one, strictly positive almost surely. Integrals here converge in and almost surely. The finite-time identities then identify as the density on the full path sigma-algebra, since finite-time cylinder events generate it. This is Cameron-Martin shifts on infinite Wiener path space. Finite-horizon absolute continuity of measures alone does not imply infinite-horizon absolute continuity of measures.
For the Brownian first-passage time to a line, set and choose , so . The Exponential martingale for Brownian motion , stopped at , obeys
The optional stopping theorem at the bounded time gives expectation one. The contribution from is at most , and tends to zero. Taking therefore yields
Letting shows that the hitting probability is one for and for ; in the latter case the hitting-time law has mass at infinity.
To derive the finite-time linear-boundary Brownian first-passage distribution, put . This is Brownian motion with drift , and the event is . For driftless Brownian motion, the Brownian reflection principle says that the joint endpoint density on this event equals the normal density when and the reflected density when , where . The constant-drift change of measure weights these densities by . Thus the crossing probability is
Completing the square gives respectively and . Substituting proves
The density weighting follows directly from the Exponential martingale for Brownian motion, or the Girsanov theorem, on the fixed finite horizon; it does not require eventual hitting.
For the barrier digital call, under the risk-neutral measure in the Black-Scholes model,
Assume , put and . The upper stock barrier is reached exactly when reaches . The payment is at the fixed maturity , not at the random hitting time. Hence its price is
If , use the deterministic path instead: the value is if that path reaches by , and zero otherwise. The nondegenerate formula concerns the usual positive-volatility model.
Denote the density process by . The given identities for all imply
Thus is a strictly positive true martingale, not merely a local martingale. The Itô formula gives , and hence
First work with the zero-starting corrected increments . Integration by parts gives
The finite-variation bracket has zero quadratic covariation with , so no other term appears. Thus is a P-local martingale.
To justify the change of measure, stop at , with optional further localization if needed. The product remains a P-local martingale: before the stopping time the cancellation above applies, and afterwards only its bounded constant factor multiplies . Its absolute value is bounded by . On a finite horizon the stopped values of are uniformly integrable, so Q1(c) upgrades this product to a true martingale. The Bayes formula for conditional expectation now gives
Finite-horizon equivalence of the measures transfers the localizing sequence to Q. Therefore is a continuous Q-local martingale. If , adding its constant-in-time process proves
This proves the Girsanov theorem assertion under the usual zero or deterministic initial-value convention. More generally the normalization makes , so P and Q agree on and the required initial integrability is automatic.
There is a literal initial-integrability qualification if neither convention is imposed. On positive integers let , , with , and let every filtration equal the full sigma-algebra. Constant processes and are P-martingales, and is precisely the prescribed density. But and , so the asserted Q-local martingale cannot have an integrable initial value. This is why initial integrability under a density change is part of the precise formulation.
A useful finite-horizon form of the Girsanov theorem is as follows. Let be a Brownian motion and an adapted, progressively measurable process with almost surely. Suppose its stochastic exponential
is a true martingale with mean one. The Novikov condition is a sufficient condition. Under the equivalent probability measure , the process is a Brownian motion.
For the proof sketch, the Itô formula gives . Integration by parts cancels the drift in , since from cancels . After localization, the Bayes formula for conditional expectation makes a continuous local martingale under . Its quadratic variation is still , because adding a finite-variation process does not change quadratic variation. One can see the Brownian conclusion directly: for real , the Itô formula makes a local martingale. Its modulus is bounded on the fixed horizon, so it is a true martingale. Thus
This is the conditional characteristic function of a centered normal distribution with variance , independent of the past. Continuity and these independent normal increments give the defining properties of Brownian motion.
Now put and , the standard normal distribution function. At zero drift the endpoint density of paths staying below is
Indeed, reflect the portion of a path after its first hitting time of . By continuity and the independent symmetric Brownian motion increments after this stopping time, reflection preserves its probability law and maps a crossing path ending at to a path ending at . This subtracts exactly from the unrestricted endpoint density; it is the Brownian reflection principle.
Taking the constant drift tilt in the Girsanov theorem makes under have the same law as under . Therefore the desired finite-horizon maximum of Brownian motion with drift has probability
Completing squares gives and . Hence
The maximum has no atom at a positive level, so strict and weak barrier inequalities agree. This also follows from continuity of the displayed distribution function. At the formula reduces to .
For the up-and-out power claim, write and use the risk-neutral measure for the Black-Scholes model, under which
with . The barrier survives exactly when . Its risk-neutral pricing value is
The factor inside the expectation is a mean-one Exponential martingale for Brownian motion. Under the probability tilted by it, is a Brownian motion, so the barrier process has drift . Applying the preceding survival formula yields
As , the bracket tends to one and the price becomes the discounted second moment . As , it tends to zero. If , use the deterministic path instead: the price is when , and zero otherwise. At , with , the price is simply .
Write , and specify the physical Black-Scholes model as , with constant and bank rate . The physical drift is needed for an expected utility calculation; a pricing model specified only under a risk-neutral measure does not determine the investor's preferences over risky positions. Put
Here is the market price of risk, is the density of the risk-neutral measure , and is the state-price density. The Girsanov theorem makes a Brownian motion under .
For a dollar holding in the stock and consumption rate , the portfolio wealth equation is
Since , integration by parts gives the useful deflated wealth equation with consumption
For strategies with a true deflated gain martingale, terminal wealth and consumption obey the state-price budget constraint
For nonnegative wealth and consumption, the admissibility condition can instead give a budget inequality; increasing utilities use the full budget at an optimum. Conversely, suitable integrable payoff and consumption plans with this budget are financeable in the Brownian complete market. To construct the strategy, set
By the Brownian martingale representation theorem, write . The required dollar stock holding is ; substitution in the deflated gain equation verifies financing. Remaining wealth goes into the bank account. For square-integrable data the representation holds directly, and localization handles the customary integrable admissible data.
First take no consumption. For an increasing strictly concave differentiable utility function whose marginal derivative can be inverted, let . Choose so that
This candidate is not merely a first-order guess. The concave supporting-tangent inequality gives, pointwise,
Taking expectations and using the budget proves for every feasible competitor. Finance the optimizer by its risk-neutral pricing value , using the preceding representation to find the holdings.
For a merely concave differentiable utility function, the general formulation is to select from the maximizers of over its wealth domain, and choose the multiplier to satisfy the budget. If increasing utility is not assumed, the equality-budget multiplier may have either sign; the positive-multiplier inverse formula above is for increasing utility. Flat portions allow multiple maximizers; boundaries require one-sided inequalities rather than equality of marginal derivatives. Existence of a multiplier, integrability and an admissible maximizer must be checked. Concavity alone does not guarantee a well-posed problem: with unrestricted dollar positions, linear utility and permits unbounded expected terminal wealth. The explicit utilities below satisfy the needed conditions in their stated domains.
For exponential utility on , and . Therefore
The budget is equivalently , since . Under , , giving . Hence
Matching the Brownian coefficient of with gives the finite-horizon exponential-utility portfolio
Hold shares and invest in the bank account. This is a dollar amount, not a fixed wealth fraction. The Gaussian exponential formula also gives the optimal expected utility
This calculation uses unrestricted wealth and an admissibility class permitting the displayed Gaussian terminal wealth, with integrable deflated gains and the relevant exponential moment. A nonnegative-wealth constraint would change the optimizer; no such constraint is imposed on this exponential-utility example.
For both terminal and running utility function, choose and a nonnegative adapted consumption rate to maximize subject to the combined budget. Pointwise maximization of and gives, for interior strictly concave cases,
Apply the concave supporting-tangent inequality to and to at every time, then integrate and take expectations. The difference in objectives is at most times the difference in budget expenditures, which is nonpositive. This proves optimality, not just the marginal conditions. The financing value is
The question's consumption rate is denoted here to keep it distinct from interest-rate notation.
For logarithmic utility with , , assume and positive wealth and consumption. The marginal conditions and budget give
Each state-price-weighted payment is deterministic, so conditional valuation immediately gives . Put . Since the Itô formula gives , this value satisfies
Comparison with the wealth equation verifies the complete finite-horizon logarithmic investment and consumption strategy:
Thus the optimal share holding is , and the remaining value is in the bank account; borrowing or shorting is allowed if that value or the stock holding is negative. Terminal wealth is positive and consumption is positive throughout. Finally , so the optimal objective, if desired explicitly, is
Finite-horizon lognormal moments ensure the budget and expected utilities are finite, completing the feasibility and optimality checks.