Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2016 / iii / Paper 202 / 3

A weak solution of a stochastic differential equation consists of a filtered probability space, an adapted continuous process $X$, and a Brownian motion $B$ relative to that filtration, with specified initial distribution, such that for every finite $t$ the coefficient integrals are finite andIn one dimension the integrability conditions are ${\int }_0^t\sigma (X_s{)}^{2}ds<\infty$ and ${\int }_0^t|b(X_s)|ds<\infty$. The noise integral is the Itô integral. A solution on a prescribed stochastic basis with prescribed $B$ is distinguished from this weak construction.

A strong solution of a stochastic differential equation uses the prescribed $B$ and initial variable, and is adapted to their augmented natural filtration; thus no additional randomness is needed. For deterministic $X_0=x$, each $X_t$ is determined by the driving Brownian motion through time $t$. Merely being adapted to a larger filtration is insufficient for this definition.

Uniqueness in law means that any two weak stochastic solutions with the same initial distribution have the same law of $X$ on continuous path space. Pathwise uniqueness means that two solutions on one stochastic basis, with the same $B$ and almost surely equal initial values, are indistinguishable stochastic processes. The latter compares paths under the same noise, rather than just comparing their probability distributions.

Fix $X_0=x$ and a finite horizon $T$. Begin under Wiener measure $\mathbb{P}$ with $X_t=x+W_t$, and let $K$ bound $|b|$. The bounded progressively measurable process $b(X)$ is an admissible Itô integral integrand. PutThe Novikov condition follows from ${\int }_0^{T}b(X_s{)}^{2}ds\le K^{2}T$. With $d\mathbb{Q}=Z_{T}d\mathbb{P}$, the Girsanov theorem says that $B=W-{\int }_0^{\cdot }b(X_s)ds$ is Brownian motion. Therefore a weak stochastic solution exists, sinceConsistent finite-horizon densities on canonical continuous path space give a solution for all finite times. No uniform integrability at infinite time is needed for this extension.

For uniqueness in law, take any weak stochastic solution under a measure $\mathbb{Q}$ and reverse the change of measure:Again the Novikov condition holds. Under $\mathbb{P}$, $W=B+\int b(X_s)ds=X-x$ is Brownian motion, so the law of $X$ is the fixed shifted Wiener measure. Substitution of $dB=dX-b(X)dt$ givesUnder shifted Wiener measure, the stochastic integral on the right has a fixed measurable version as a functional of the canonical path. It can be defined by simple predictable processes converging in the integrand $L^2$ norm and an almost surely convergent subsequence of their integrals. Equivalence of the two finite-horizon measures preserves that version. Thus for every bounded measurable path functional $F$,The right-hand side depends only on $b,x,T$, not on the chosen solution. This proves uniqueness in law on every finite horizon, and hence on the whole continuous path space. This is Weak existence and uniqueness in law for an additive-noise SDE with bounded drift. For merely measurable $b$, one should not assume that naive deterministic left-endpoint samples of $b(X)$ converge; the predictable $L^2$ approximation is the appropriate definition.

The Girsanov theorem construction proves a weak stochastic solution, but does not by itself establish a strong stochastic solution. It constructs $X=x+W$ first, and then constructs a new driving Brownian motion $B=W-\int b(X_s)ds$. Adaptation of $X$ to the original filtration of $W$ does not by itself prove adaptation to the smaller natural filtration of $B$. Inverting this relation requires an additional result; uniqueness in law alone is insufficient in general.

For the particular coefficients in part (b), however, the literal claim that a strong solution may fail is incorrect. The strong existence theorem for additive-noise SDEs with bounded measurable drift gives strong existence and pathwise uniqueness for bounded Borel state-dependent $b$ and unit diffusion. Consequently every weak realization here is determined by its driving noise and initial value. This theorem is deeper than the Girsanov theorem argument and no proof is needed here. Examples with path-dependent drift or with a nonconstant diffusion coefficient do not contradict it.

The valid distinction is therefore: the argument in part (b) has established weak existence and uniqueness in law; strong existence requires an additional theorem, and in this class that theorem is available. A primary reference for the correction is On strong solutions and explicit formulas for solutions of stochastic integral equations.