Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2023 / iii / Paper 202 / 1

A semimartingale is an adapted process of the form $X=X_0+M+A$, where $M$ is a local martingale and $A$ is an adapted finite-variation process. A sequence of processes $X^n$ converges to $X$ in uniform convergence on compacts in probability, abbreviated ucp, when for every $T<\infty$ and $\delta >0$,

For $f_{ϵ}(x)=({ϵ}^2+x^2{)}^{1/2}$, direct differentiation givesSince the quadratic variation of standard Brownian motion is $[B{]}_t=t$, the Itô formula gives

The deterministic boundholds for every real number $x$. Thereforefor every $T$, so $f_{ϵ}(B)$ converges to $|B|$ uniformly on every compact time interval, and hence ucp.

Set $g_{ϵ}(x)=x/\sqrt{{ϵ}^2+x^2}$ and $g(x)=\mathrm{sgn}(x)$, with $g(0)=0$. For every $s>0$, the normal distribution of $B_s$ has no atom at zero, so $g_{ϵ}(B_s)\to g(B_s)$ almost surely. Since $|g_{ϵ}-g|\le 2$, the dominated convergence theorem and Tonelli theorem giveThe Itô isometry followed by the Doob L2 maximal inequality now yieldsThus the stochastic integrals converge ucp to ${\int }_0^t\mathrm{sgn}(B_s)d{B}_s$.

Rearranging part b expresses the last term asParts c and d, together with stability of ucp convergence under addition, show that

Each $A^{ϵ}$ is continuous, adapted, and increasing. From ucp convergence one can choose a subsequence that converges uniformly almost surely on every compact interval. Its limit $A$ is therefore also continuous and increasing, hence a finite-variation process. The stochastic integral $M_t={\int }_0^t\mathrm{sgn}(B_s)d{B}_s$ is a continuous local martingale, and part e gives the semimartingale decompositionConsequently $|B|$ is a semimartingale. In fact, comparison with the Tanaka formula identifies $A_t$ as the local time of a semimartingale $L_t^0(B)$.