Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 iii Paper 34 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
To keep the normalization visible, denote the integral defining the printed constant by . Substituting gives, for ,This is the Newtonian potential of the Brownian heat kernel. The singularity at zero is locally integrable in dimension , since its radial integral behaves like . All integrands are nonnegative, so Tonelli's theorem permits both orders of integration.
Integrating in first givesIntegrating in first uses the Gaussian heat kernel convolution. Completing the square in givesConsequently , and the actual identity isThe original PDF uses rather than as the multiplier while defining its constant to equal . That formula is false. For example , so the required multiplier in dimension three is . Equivalently, as at , the left side tends to , whereas the printed right side tends to . One can retain the printed form only by defining its multiplier as .
Small-ball Brownian hitting asymptotic 2026-10-14
For , fixed and , apply optional stopping to with . The resulting identity is . The last term tends to zero by integrability of and the vanishing total hitting probability. The Newtonian potential of the Brownian heat kernel identifies the remaining difference.