4 1 Continuous-Path Random Processes: Mathematical Prerequisites
A real-valued random variable (r.v.) on (Ω,F) is a measurable map from
(Ω,F)to(R, B)whereB is the Borel σ-algebra, i.e., the smallest σ-algebra
that contains the intervals.
Let X be a real-valued random variable on a measurable space (Ω,F).
The σ-algebra generated by X, denoted σ(X), is σ(X):={X
−1
(B);B ∈B}.
Doob’s theorem asserts that any σ(X)-measurable real-valued r.v. can be
written as h(X)whereh is a Borel function, i.e., a measurable map from
(R, B)to(R, B ) (a function such that h
−1
(B):={x ∈ R : h(x) ∈ B}∈Bfor
any B ∈B). The set of bounded Borel functions on a measurable space (E,E)
(i.e., the measurable maps from (E,E)to(R, B)) will be denoted by b(E). If
H is a σ-algebra on Ω, we shall make the slight abuse of notation by writing
X ∈Hfor: X is an H-measurable r.v. and X ∈ bH for: X is a bounded r.v.
in H.
Let (X
i
,i ∈ I) be a set of random variables. There exists a unique r.v.
with values in
¯
R, denoted esssup
i
X
i
(essential supremum of the family
(X
i
; i ∈ I)) such that, for any r.v. Y ,
X
i
≤ Ya.s.∀i ∈ I ⇐⇒ esssup
i
X
i
≤ Y.
If the family is countable, esssup
i
X
i
=sup
i
X
i
. In the case where the set I is
not countable, the map sup
i
X
i
(pointwise supremum) may not be a random
variable.
1.1.2 Monotone Class Theorem
We will frequently use the monotone class theorem which we state without
proof (see Dellacherie and Meyer [242], Chapter 1). We give two different
versions of that theorem, one dealing with sets, the other with functions.
Theorem 1.1.2.1 Let C be a collection of subsets of Ω such that
• Ω ∈C,
• if A, B ∈Cand A ⊂ B, then B\A = B ∩ A
c
∈C,
• if A
n
is an increasing sequence of elements of C, then ∪
n
A
n
∈C.
Then, if F⊂Cwhere F is closed under finite intersections, then σ(F) ⊂C.
Theorem 1.1.2.2 Let V be a vector space of bounded real-valued functions
on Ω such that
• the constant functions are in V,
• if h
n
is an increasing sequence of positive elements of V such that
h =suph
n
is bounded, then h ∈V.
If G is a subset of V which is stable under pointwise multiplication, then V
contains all the bounded σ(G)-measurable functions.