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Here, I am considering one of the simplest random dynamical systems that one can consider, and yet I realise that I do not know the answer to one of the most basic questions that one can ask about it!

Let $\Omega$ be the set of all continuous functions $\omega:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ satisfying $\omega(0)=0$. Let $\mathcal{F}$ be the smallest $\sigma$-algebra on $\Omega$ satisfying the requirement that the map $\omega \mapsto \omega(t)$ is $(\mathcal{F},\mathcal{B}(\mathbb{R}))$-measurable for all $t \in \mathbb{R}$. (It is known that $\mathcal{F}$ coincides with the Borel $\sigma$-algebra of the topology of uniform convergence on compact sets.)

For any $\omega \in \Omega$, define $\theta\omega \in \Omega$ by $\theta\omega(t)=\omega(t+1)-\omega(1)$ for all $t \in \mathbb{R}$. For each $\alpha \in \mathbb{R}$, let $R_\alpha:\mathbb{S}^1 \to \mathbb{S}^1$ denote the anticlockwise rotation through angle $2\pi\alpha$. Define the function

$\begin{align} \Theta \, : \, \Omega \times \mathbb{S}^1 \ &\to \ \Omega \times \mathbb{S}^1 \\ \Theta(\omega,x) \ &= \ (\theta\omega,R_{\omega(1)}(x)). \end{align}$

Find the set of all $\Theta$-invariant probability measures $\mu$ on $(\Omega \times \mathbb{S}^1, \mathcal{F} \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1))$ with the property that $$ \mu(E \times \mathbb{S}^1) = \mathbb{P}_W(E) \ \ \ \forall E \in \mathcal{F} $$ where $\mathbb{P}_W$ denotes the unique probability measure on $(\Omega,\mathcal{F})$ under which the stochastic processes $(\omega \mapsto \omega(t))_{t \geq 0}$ and $(\omega \mapsto \omega(-t))_{t \geq 0}$ are independent Wiener processes.

One obvious measure with the desired properties is $\mathbb{P}_W \otimes \lambda$, where $\lambda$ denotes the (normalised) Lebesgue measure on $\mathbb{S}^1$. But I don't know if there are any others.

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    $\begingroup$ The measure $\mathbf P_W$ is not shift-invariant; is it possible that your formulation is not really what you wanted to ask? Could you maybe reformulate it in a less formal way? $\endgroup$
    – R W
    Commented Jul 12, 2015 at 7:35
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    $\begingroup$ @RW: I think the idea is that you take (1) a point; and (2) a 2-sided Brownian motion going through 0. The action is to shift the BM 1 unit to the left; subtract a constant so as to ensure that ensure that the shifted BM goes through 0 (I think this is missing in the Q) and keep track of the shifts that have been made. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 12, 2015 at 21:41
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    $\begingroup$ @Julian: It looks to me as though your $\theta$ should be $\theta(\omega)(t)=\omega(t+1)-\omega(1)$, right? $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 12, 2015 at 21:42
  • $\begingroup$ @AnthonyQuas and RW: I'm sorry about that, yes $\theta$ is meant to be exactly as described by Anthony, not as I've currently got it. Thank you for pointing this out for me! I'm changing it now. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 12, 2015 at 22:11
  • $\begingroup$ A more probabilistic proof of this result can be obtained as follows: Your process is Brownian motion on $\mathbb{S}^1$, which can be, for example, realized as $Z_t=W_t\;\mathrm{mod}\;2\pi$. From this, it is easy to obtain an explicit expression of the Markov transition semigroup of $Z$, which is then seen to be strong Feller and topologically irreducible at any time $t>0$ and to admit the Lebesgue measure on the circle as invariant measure. Therefore, Doob's theorem yields the uniqueness of the invariant measure. Conclude with Arnold, Theorem 1.7.2. $\endgroup$
    – julian
    Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 13:31

3 Answers 3

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So I think there's a very direct argument to show that if $\mathbb P_W\times\lambda$ is ergodic then it's the unique invariant measure projecting onto $\mathbb P_W$. Let $\bar\Omega=\Omega\times S^1$ and define a rotation $R_s\colon \bar\Omega\to\bar\Omega$ by $(\omega,t)\mapsto (\omega,s+t\bmod 1)$. Notice that if $\mu$ is an invariant measure, then so is $R_s^*\mu$. If $\mu$ is an invariant measure projecting to $\mathbb P_W$, then $\int_{S^1}R_s^*\mu=\mathbb P_W\times\lambda$. Since $\mathbb P_W\times \lambda$ is ergodic, you deduce $R_s^*\mu=\mathbb P_W\times\lambda$ for almost every $s$.

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  • $\begingroup$ Wow, this is wonderful. It seems to me that this argument should completely generalise, and provide a much shorter proof of the theorem that I mentioned in my answer. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2015 at 11:59
  • $\begingroup$ For future readers: the proof that $\mathbb{P}_W \times \lambda$ is ergodic can be found within my answer further below. [I should probably have said that the way I extend the ergodicity of $\mathbb{P}_W|_{\mathcal{F}_0^\infty} \times \lambda$ to the ergodicity of $\mathbb{P}_W \times \lambda$ is adapted from Theorem 1.7.2(i) of Ludwig Arnold's monograph Random Dynamical Systems (Springer, 1998).] $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2015 at 13:45
  • $\begingroup$ I think the natural level of generalization is a group extension - or possibly a quotient group extension of a dynamical system. A key property here is that the convolution of Haar measure with anything is Haar measure. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 17, 2015 at 8:20
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, group extensions are what I had in mind. Specifically, we should have: Theorem. Let $(\Omega,\mathcal{F},\mathbb{P})$ be a probability space, let $\theta:\Omega\to\Omega$ be a $\mathbb{P}$-preserving measurable map, let $X$ be an abelian compact metrisable topological group with Haar measure $\lambda$, and let $R:\Omega\to X$ be a measurable function. Define the skew product $\Theta:(\omega,x)\mapsto(\theta(\omega),R(\omega)x)$. If $\mathbb{P}\times\lambda$ is $\Theta$-ergodic, then it is the only $\Theta$-invariant measure whose projection onto $\Omega$ coincides with $\mathbb{P}$. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 21, 2015 at 16:13
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So your question can be rephrased this way: $\theta$ maps $\Omega$ to itself and preserves the measure $\mathbb P_W$. You are then asking about a skew product extension of $\theta$: $\bar\theta:\Omega\times S^1\to \Omega\times S^1$ given by $\bar \theta(\omega,t)=(\theta(\omega),t+\omega(1))$. In fact, this is a group extension of $\theta$. Write $\bar\Omega$ for $\Omega\times S^1$ and let $\pi\colon\bar\Omega\to\Omega$ map $(\omega,t)$ to $\omega$.

You're looking for the $\bar\theta$-invariant measures on $\bar\Omega$ that project to $\mathbb P_W$. Any measure $\mu$ of that type can be disintegrated into fibre measures over each $\omega$. Write $\mu_\omega$ for the (probability) measure on $S^1$ over the point $\omega$. A general result for group extensions shows that $\mu_\omega$ is a translation of Haar measure on a closed subgroup of the circle (i.e. the circle itself or the $n$th roots of unity for some $n$); by ergodicity of $\theta$ it's the same subgroup for each $\omega$. It just remains to check that the situation where the fibre measures are supported on a discrete subgroup can't arise. You can reduce to the case $n=1$ by working modulo $1/n$ instead of modulo 1, so we really just need to show that $\mu$ cannot be supported on the graph of some function $f\colon \Omega\to S^1$.

If this were the case, we would have $f(\theta(\omega))=f(\omega)+\omega(1)$, so that $g(\omega)=\omega(1)$ would be a couboundary. Hence it suffices to show that the map $g\colon \Omega\to S^1$ given by $g(\omega)=\omega(1)$ is not a coboundary. It's not, but I don't have a nice argument in mind right now. I'll get back to you soon (or maybe you'll find this argument yourself). By the way, this condition is equivalent to ergodicity of $\mathbb P_W\times \lambda$ under $\bar\theta$.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your answer. Since I'm not so familiar with group extensions, I started trying to find on Google the general result that you cited - and as it turns out, I found another result that pretty much directly answers my question. So I've decided to include that answer as well. (But I haven't managed yet to find the result that you cited - do you know off-hand of any references?) $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2015 at 0:39
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I have found an answer; it is based on Proposition 3.10 of here.

Claim: $\mathbb{P}_W \otimes \lambda$ is the only $\Theta$-invariant probability measure whose projection onto $\Omega$ is $\mathbb{P}_W$.

I start by proving that $\mathbb{P}_W \otimes \lambda$ is $\Theta$-ergodic (which I was already able to prove before - however, there may well exist a nicer proof than mine):

Proof that $\mathbb{P}_W \otimes \lambda$ is ergodic. Let $P$ be the Markov transition function describing the dynamics on $\mathbb{S}^1$; that is, $$P(x,A) \ := \ \mathbb{P}_{N(0,1)}(\alpha \in \mathbb{R}:R_\alpha(x)\in A)$$ for all $x \in \mathbb{S}^1$ and $A \in \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)$. Obviously $\lambda$ is a stationary distribution for $P$. We also clearly have that for every $\lambda$-positive measure set $A \in \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)$, $P(x,A)>0$ for all $x \in \mathbb{S}^1$; therefore, $\lambda$ must be the only stationary distribution, and so in particular, must be ergodic.

Consequently, $\Theta$ is an ergodic transformation of the probability space $(\Omega \times \mathbb{S}^1,\mathcal{F}_0^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1),\left.\mathbb{P}_W\right|_{\mathcal{F}_0^\infty} \otimes \lambda)$, where $\mathcal{F}_0^\infty:=\sigma(\omega \mapsto \omega(t):t \geq 0)$. (For a justification of this, see e.g. Theorem 143(ii) of my notes, which is a slight generalisation of Theorem 3.1 of here or Theorem I.2.1 of here.)

Now suppose for a contradiction that $\Theta$ is not an ergodic transformation of the full probability space $(\Omega \times \mathbb{S}^1,\mathcal{F} \otimes \Sigma, \mathbb{P}_W \otimes \lambda)$; so we can write $\mathbb{P}_W$ as a non-trivial convex combination of two distinct $\Theta$-invariant probability measures $\mu_1$ and $\mu_2$. Since $\left.\mathbb{P}_W\right|_{\mathcal{F}_0^\infty} \otimes \lambda$ is ergodic under $\Theta$, we have that $$ \left.\mu_1\right|_{\mathcal{F}_0^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)} \ = \ \left.\mu_2\right|_{\mathcal{F}_0^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)} \ = \ \left.\mathbb{P}_W\right|_{\mathcal{F}_0^\infty} \otimes \lambda. $$ Now let $\mathcal{F}_T^\infty:=\sigma(\omega \mapsto \omega(t):t \geq T)$ for each $T \in \mathbb{R}$. For any $n \in \mathbb{N}$, it is clear that $\theta^n$ is $(\mathcal{F}_0^\infty,\mathcal{F}_{-n}^\infty)$-measurable and that the map $\omega \mapsto \omega(n)$ is $(\mathcal{F}_0^\infty,\mathcal{B}(\mathbb{R}))$-measurable. So then, $\Theta^n\colon(\omega,x) \mapsto (\theta^n\omega,R_{\omega(n)}(x))\,$ is $\,(\mathcal{F}_0^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1),\mathcal{F}_{-n}^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1))$-measurable. So, for any $A \in \mathcal{F}_{-n}^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)$, we have that $$ \mu_1(A) = \mu_1(\Theta^{-n}(A)) = \mu_2(\Theta^{-n}(A)) = \mu_2(A). $$ So then, since $\mu_1$ and $\mu_2$ agree on $\mathcal{F}_{-n}^\infty \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)$ for all $n \in \mathbb{N}$, it follows that $\mu_1$ and $\mu_2$ agree on the whole of $\mathcal{F} \otimes \mathcal{B}(\mathbb{S}^1)$, contradicting our assumption that $\mu_1$ and $\mu_2$ are distinct measures. QED

With this, to prove the Claim, we just apply the following theorem (adapted from Proposition 3.10 of the book by Furstenberg that I cited at the top of this answer):

Theorem. Let $(\Omega,\mathcal{F})$ be a standard measurable space, let $\theta:\Omega \to \Omega$ be a measurable map, let $X$ be a compact metrisable abelian topological group with $\lambda$ denoting the Haar measure, and let $R:\Omega \to X$ be a measurable function. Define the function $\Theta:\Omega \times X \to \Omega \times X$ by $\Theta(\omega,x)=(\theta\omega,R(\omega)x)$. For any $\theta$-invariant probability measure $\mathbb{P}$, if $\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda$ is $\Theta$-ergodic, then the only $\Theta$-invariant probability measure $\mu$ satisfying $\mu(E \times X)=\mathbb{P}(E)$ for all $E \in \mathcal{F}$ is $\,\mu=\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda$.

Now Furstenberg actually assumes that $\theta$ is uniquely ergodic and concludes that $\Theta$ is uniquely ergodic. Nonetheless, the proof given directly yields the theorem as I have given it above. I will now write the proof of the theorem:

Proof of Theorem. Fix a compact metrisable topology on $\Omega$ whose Borel $\sigma$-algebra coincides with $\mathcal{F}$. For any probability measure $\mu$ on $\Omega \times X$ and any point $(\omega,x) \in \Omega \times X$, we will say that $(\omega,x)$ is $\mu$-generic if $$ \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f(\Theta^n(\omega,x)) \ \underset{N \to \infty}{\to} \ \int_{\Omega \times X} f(\tilde{\omega},\tilde{x}) \, \mu(d(\tilde{\omega},\tilde{x})) \hspace{4mm} \forall \, f \in C(\Omega \times X,\mathbb{R}). $$

Observation 1 [c.f. Proposition 3.7 of Furstenberg]: For any $\Theta$-ergodic probability measure $\mu$, $\mu$-almost every point in $\Omega \times X$ is $\mu$-generic. [It seems to me that the continuity of the dynamical system in Proposition 3.7 is not needed; all that matters is that the relevant class of functions on the phase space admits a countable uniformly dense subset.]

To see this: Let $\mu$ be any $\Theta$-ergodic probability measure, and let $S$ be a countable dense subset of $C(\Omega \times X,\mathbb{R})$. By Birkhoff's ergodic theorem, the set $Y \subset \Omega \times X$ of points $\mathbf{x}$ with the property that $$ \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f(\Theta^n(\mathbf{x})) \ \underset{N \to \infty}{\to} \ \int_{\Omega \times X} f(\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) \, \mu(d\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) \hspace{4mm} \forall \, f \in S $$ is a $\mu$-full measure set. We now show that every point in $Y$ is $\mu$-generic. Fix any $\mathbf{x} \in Y$, any $f \in C(\Omega \times X,\mathbb{R})$ and any $\varepsilon>0$. Pick any $f' \in S$ with $|f(\tilde{\mathbf{x}})-f'(\tilde{\mathbf{x}})|<\varepsilon$ for all $\tilde{\mathbf{x}} \in \Omega \times X$. We have that $$ \limsup_{N \to \infty} \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f(\Theta^n(\mathbf{x})) \leq \left(\limsup_{N \to \infty} \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f'(\Theta^n(\mathbf{x})) \right) + \varepsilon = \int_{\Omega \times X} f'(\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) \, \mu(d\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) + \varepsilon \leq \int_{\Omega \times X} f(\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) \, \mu(d\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) + 2\varepsilon $$ and likewise $$ \liminf_{N \to \infty} \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f(\Theta^n(\mathbf{x})) \ \geq \ \int_{\Omega \times X} f(\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) \, \mu(d\tilde{\mathbf{x}}) - 2\varepsilon. $$ Since $\varepsilon$ was arbitrary, we have the desired statement.

Observation 2: For any $\omega \in \Omega$ and any probability measure $\mathbb{P}$ on $\Omega$, if there exists $y \in X$ such that $(\omega,y)$ is $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-generic then $(\omega,x)$ is $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-generic for all $x \in X$.

To see this: Fix $\omega \in \Omega$ and $x,y \in X$, and suppose that $(\omega,y)$ is $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-generic. Fix any $f \in C(\Omega \times X,\mathbb{R})$, and define $f' \in C(\Omega \times X,\mathbb{R})$ by $f'(\tilde{\omega},\tilde{x})=f(\tilde{\omega},\tilde{x}y^{-1}x)$. We have

$\begin{align*} \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f(\Theta^n(\omega,x)) \ = \ \frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=0}^{N-1} f'(\Theta^n(\omega,y)) \ &\underset{N \to \infty}{\to} \ \int_\Omega \int_X f'(\tilde{\omega},\tilde{x}) \, \lambda(d\tilde{x}) \, \mathbb{P}(d\tilde{\omega}) \\ &= \ \int_\Omega \int_X f(\tilde{\omega},\tilde{x}) \, \lambda(d\tilde{x}) \, \mathbb{P}(d\tilde{\omega}) \end{align*}$

as required.

Completing the proof: Let $\mathbb{P}$ be a $\theta$-invariant probability measure such that $\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda$ is $\Theta$-ergodic, and suppose for a contradiction that the conclusion of the theorem fails. By observation 1, $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-almost every point is $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-generic; and therefore, by observation 2, there exists a $\mathbb{P}$-full set $\Omega' \subset \Omega$ such that every point in $\Omega' \times X$ is $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-generic. Now since the conclusion of the theorem fails, there exists a $\Theta$-ergodic probability measure $\mu$ distinct from $\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda$ such that $\mu(E \times X)=\mathbb{P}(E)$ for all $E \in \mathcal{F}$. By observation 1, there exists a $\mu$-full set $Y \subset \Omega \times X$ such that every point in $Y$ is $\mu$-generic. Obviously $Y$ is not contained in $(\Omega \setminus \Omega') \times X$ (otherwise $Y$ would be $\mu$-null), and therefore it follows that there exist points in $\Omega \times X$ that are both $(\mathbb{P} \otimes \lambda)$-generic and $\mu$-generic. However, this is not possible, since a probability measure on $\Omega \times X$ is uniquely determined by the values of the integrals that it assigns to all the members of $C(\Omega \times X,\mathbb{R})$. QED

Obviously applying the theorem to my example completes the proof of the Claim.

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  • $\begingroup$ To be utterly precise, irreducibility of the semigroup doesn't yet give you unique for the invariant measure. You need in addition strong Feller at some positive time. A famous counterexample would be the Ising model in dimension $d\geq 2$ above the critical temperature. $\endgroup$
    – julian
    Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 14:57
  • $\begingroup$ @julian This is indeed true; "irreducibility" here can be taken to mean e.g. "for each $\lambda$-positive measure open set $U$, $P(x,U)>0$ for all $x$". In my proof, I used the much stronger fact that for every $\lambda$-positive measure Borel set $A$, $P(x,A)>0$ for all $x$. This does imply that $\lambda$ is the unique stationary measure, without requiring additional assumptions such as the strong Feller property. $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 10, 2020 at 16:11

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