2

I have been trying to prove the following conjecture for a while, but so far to no avail. Would be very grateful for some tips!

(I edited the entire thing to make it clearer)

The conjecture is the following;

Let $\bar{x}\in\mathbb{R}^n$ and $\bar{t}\in\mathbb{R}$. Let B be an $n$-dimensional Brownian motion with $B_{t_0}=x_0$, i.e. the motion starts at time $t_0$ at location $x_0$. Let $\eta>0$, and suppose that $(x_0,t_0)$ is in the interior of the $\eta$-ball with center $(\bar{x},\bar{t})$. Define the following stopping time.

$$\tau(x_0,t_0):=\inf \lbrace t : \sqrt{|B_t-\bar{x}|^2+|t-\bar{t}|^2 }\geq \eta \rbrace$$

Let a continuous function $f$ be defined on the boundary of the $\eta$-ball with center $(\bar{x},\bar{t})$. Let $U$ be the interior of the $\eta$-ball with center $(\bar{x},\bar{t})$. Then define the function $F:U\rightarrow\mathbb{R}$ by

$$F(x_0,t_0):=\int_{\omega} f(B_{\tau(x_0,t_0)}(\omega))dW(\omega)$$

The conjecture is that $F$ is differentiable at the point $(\bar{x},\bar{t})$.

I know from the literature on harmonic functions that the conjecture is true if the stopping time is instead given by $\tau(x_0,t_0):=\inf[t : \sqrt{|B_t-\bar{x}|^2}\geq \eta ]$ and $f$ does not depend on $t$, because in this case $F$ is a harmonic function. I have not found how to use the techniques from that literature in the present case, however.

It would be awesome if someone could give me a hint as to how to go about this!

Or, if someone knows of another stochastic process that has this property that would also be great!

flag
Can you write more clearly? To start with, I do not see how the set $A$ you introduced changes with time. It looks like it is the outside of a fixed ball (the fact that that ball is in $\mathbb R^2$ though the BM is in $\mathbb R^{n+1}$ only adds to the general confusion). I'm pretty sure you meant something else but figuring out what exactly that was is beyond my abilities. – fedja Nov 1 at 3:02
I've entirely rewritten the question, it should be much clearer now. – Sandro Nov 1 at 5:15
To add curly brackets, use \lbrace and \rbrace – Anthony Quas Nov 1 at 11:09
I have found a way to prove continuity of $F$, but I'm still struggling with differentiability. I'd still be extremely glad about a useful hint! – Sandro Nov 27 at 1:48

Your Answer

Get an OpenID
or

Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.