Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / iii / Paper 202 / 6 / iv

The space-time Hermite polynomials obtained by scaling the Probabilists' Hermite polynomials are genuine polynomials in both variables, including at $t=0$:This expansion follows by differentiating the defining Gaussian exponential, and shows that $H_n(x,0)=x^n$ extends smoothly through $t=0$. Consequently the Itô formula is applicable from time zero. The given backward heat equation cancels the drift, and the derivative identity givesThe integrand is continuous and adapted, hence previsible, and stopping the Brownian motion and time makes it bounded. Thus $H_n(B_t,t)$ is a local martingale for every $n\ge 0$. The $n=0$ case is the constant $H_0=1$; in fact Gaussian moments make the displayed Itô integral square-integrable on every finite horizon, so these are true martingales as well.

The first three Probabilists' Hermite polynomials are $h_1(x)=x$, $h_2(x)=x^2-1$ and $h_3(x)=x^3-3x$. Hence