Lebesgue decomposition from a sum-measure density Created 2026-10-07 Updated 2026-10-14
Use the Hilbert-space construction of dominated measure densities with . The set is a null set for . Put on and elsewhere. Then and . This is the Lebesgue decomposition into a density part and a part concentrated on a -null set.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 11 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
We construct the density and singular part, rather than assuming the desired Lebesgue decomposition theorem. Put , a finite dominating measure, and use the real Hilbert space . The linear functionalis well defined on its equivalence classes, since a -null set is -null. The Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and giveBy the Riesz representation theorem, there is with . Indicators of all measurable sets belong to this Hilbert space, soThe nonnegativity of these two measures forces almost everywhere. For instance, if , its -measure would be negative; the analogous sets contradict positivity of . Their countable union excludes every violation. Modify on its measurable -null exceptional set so that these inequalities hold everywhere. This is the Hilbert-space construction of dominated measure densities.
DefineThen , is a nonnegative measurable function, and . The identity for integration against follows first for indicators, then for nonnegative simple functions and finally for all nonnegative functions by the monotone convergence theorem. Applying it to givesIn particular , so . Additivity on the disjoint measurable sets and now givesThis is the Lebesgue decomposition from a sum-measure density: the first measure has a density, and the second is concentrated on a -null set, so is mutually singular with .
The absolute continuity of measures condition means that implies for every . If this holds, then , eliminating the singular part above. Conversely, a measure of the form vanishes on every -null set. ThereforeThus absolute continuity is exactly the absence of the singular part in this construction.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 5 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Construct the densities using the Riesz representation theorem for a Hilbert space, rather than assuming the measure-decomposition conclusion. Put , a finite dominating measure, and work in the real L2 space . The linear functionalis well-defined on its equivalence classes because . By the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality,Thus the Riesz representation theorem supplies such that . Since is finite, is also integrable. Testing givesThe first identity and nonnegativity of rule out a positive-measure set where ; for example, test . The second identity and nonnegativity of similarly rule out . Modify a measurable representative on a -null set so that everywhere. This is the Hilbert-space construction of dominated measure densities.
SetThen and . The indicator identities for extend to integrals of nonnegative measurable functions by approximation with simple functions and the monotone convergence theorem. Consequently,and, for every ,HenceThis proves Lebesgue decomposition from a sum-measure density. The argument includes the cases of zero measures; there is no division on , where the denominator vanishes.
Absolute continuity of measures, written , means that implies for every . If , then in the construction above, so the singular term vanishes. Conversely, if with a nonnegative integrable , that integral is zero on every -null set. ThusThis is the finite-measure Radon-Nikodym theorem as a consequence of the proved construction.
Finally restrict the base measure to the sub-sigma-algebra . For a real , write , with both parts nonnegative and integrable. On define finite positive measuresThey are absolutely continuous with respect to . The result just proved gives nonnegative, -measurable densities satisfyingSet . Since , this is in , and subtraction givesFor complex , apply the real construction separately to its real and imaginary parts and combine the two results. This is conditional expectation from finite-measure densities. The resulting conditional expectation is unique almost everywhere: for two real versions, their difference has integral zero on its positive and negative level sets in , forcing it to vanish; apply this to both components in the complex case. No probability normalization of is required.