Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 202 2 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
The relevant fact is uniform convergence on compacts in probability under an absolutely continuous measure change. Write . For any event and ,The last term tends to zero as because is integrable. Consequently, implies . Apply this to for each finite and . The given dyadic sums therefore have the same uniform convergence on compacts in probability limit under the new probability measure.
This proves quadratic covariation under an absolutely continuous measure change:Taking proves the corresponding quadratic variation assertion directly; it has not been assumed. The ceiling in the printed sum includes one grid interval extending beyond . This does not affect the limit: on the resulting extra product is bounded by the product of the two path oscillations on mesh , which tends to zero by uniform continuity on .
The bracket under the new probability measure must be understood as the quadratic covariation of continuous semimartingales. Semimartingale stability under an absolutely continuous measure change ensures this class is preserved; the local martingale property need not be. For example, on a finite horizon, weighting Brownian motion by makes a Brownian motion by the Girsanov theorem, so has nonzero drift under the new measure even though its quadratic variation is still . The PDF additionally assumes that remain local martingales under the new probability measure, so its bracket is also defined directly by the local martingale characterization.
For continuous semimartingales and , their quadratic covariation has the same version under the two probability measures, up to -indistinguishability of stochastic processes. The dyadic product sums have the same limit by uniform convergence on compacts in probability under an absolutely continuous measure change. Uniqueness of a limit in probability identifies that limit with the bracket under . Semimartingale stability under an absolutely continuous measure change supplies the correct class under : a local martingale need not remain a local martingale. Taking the two processes equal proves the same statement for quadratic variation without a separate assumption.