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27 votes
5 answers
3k views

Nice applications for Schwartz distributions

I am to teach a second year grad course in analysis with focus on Schwartz distributions. Among the core topics I intend to cover are: Some multilinear algebra including the Kernel Theorem and ...
Abdelmalek Abdesselam's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
926 views

Isomorphisms between spaces of test functions and sequence spaces

I am in the process of writing some self-contained notes on probability theory in spaces of distributions, for the purposes of statistical mechanics and quantum field theory. Perhaps the simplest ...
Abdelmalek Abdesselam's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Properties of convolutions

Consider the function $$f_{n}(x)=e^{-x^2}x^n.$$ and the function $$h_p(x):=e^{-\vert x \vert^p}.$$ My goal is to analyze $$ F_p(y):=\frac{(f_2*h_p)(y)}{(f_0*h_p)(y)}- \left(\frac{(f_1*h_p)(y) }{(f_0*...
Landauer's user avatar
  • 173
5 votes
1 answer
395 views

Universal decay rate of the Fisher information along the heat flow

I'm looking for a reference for the following fact: In the torus $\mathbb T^d$ let me denote by $u_t=u(t,x)$ the (unique, distributional) solution of the heat equation $$ \partial_t u=\Delta u $$ ...
leo monsaingeon's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
351 views

Weak convergence for discrete-time processes using characteristic functions

I am looking for a good reference about the analogues of the Bochner Theorem and the Lévy Continuity Theorem for probability measures on $\mathbb{R}^{\mathbb{N}}$ with the product topology. ...
Abdelmalek Abdesselam's user avatar
40 votes
5 answers
5k views

"Entropy" proof of Brunn-Minkowski Inequality?

I read in an information theory textbook the Brunn-Minkowski inequality follows from the Entropy Power inequality. The first one says that if $A,B$ are convex polygons in $\mathbb{R}^d$, then $$ m(...
john mangual's user avatar
  • 22.8k
17 votes
5 answers
3k views

Conditional probabilities are measurable functions - when are they continuous?

Let $\Omega$ be a Banach space; for the sake of this post, we will take $\Omega = {\mathbb R}^2$, but I am more interested in the infinite dimensional setting. Take $\mathcal F$ to be the Borel $\...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512
17 votes
2 answers
5k views

Positive-Definite Functions and Fourier Transforms

Bochner's theorem states that a positive definite function is the Fourier transform of a finite Borel measure. As well, an easy converse of this is that a Fourier transform must be positive definite. ...
Alex R.'s user avatar
  • 4,952
9 votes
1 answer
4k views

What are some characterizations of the strong and total variation convergence topologies on measures?

I asked this question on StackExchange a few days ago but didn't get any response, so I thought I would try here. The Wikipedia article on convergence of measures defines three kinds of convergence: ...
user39080's user avatar
  • 203
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Lipschitz function of independent subgaussian random variables

This question was asked here, but I have reason to believe that it's a serious research question appropriate for this forum (also, the answers given at the link aren't satisfactory). ​If $X\in\mathbb{...
Aryeh Kontorovich's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
234 views

Find $\inf_{P_{X_1,X_2}}P_{X_1,X_2}(\|X_1-X_2\| > 2\alpha)$ , where $\alpha > 0$ and inf is over couplings

Let $\mathcal X$ be a seperable Banach space with norm $\|\cdot\|$, and let $X_1$ and $X_2$ be random vectors on $\mathcal X$ with finite means. Question. Given $\alpha > 0$, what is value of, ...
dohmatob's user avatar
  • 6,853
94 votes
1 answer
11k views

The mathematical theory of Feynman integrals

It is well known that Feynman integrals are one of the tools that physicists have and mathematicians haven't, sadly. Arguably, they are the most important such tool. Briefly, the question I'd like to ...
algori's user avatar
  • 23.5k
65 votes
9 answers
12k views

Polish spaces in probability

Probabilists often work with Polish spaces, though it is not always very clear where this assumption is needed. Question: What can go wrong when doing probability on non-Polish spaces?
Thanh's user avatar
  • 651
23 votes
2 answers
7k views

What is a Gaussian measure?

Let $X$ be a topological affine space. A Gaussian measure on $X$ is characterized by the property that its finite-dimensional projections are multivariate Gaussian distributions. Is there a direct ...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512
21 votes
7 answers
2k views

Identities and inequalities in analysis and probability

Usually, at the heart of a good limit theorem in probability theory is at least one good inequality – because, in applications, a topological neighborhood is usually defined by inequalities. Of course,...
18 votes
4 answers
1k views

Reference for a strong intermediate value theorem for measures

Let $\mu$ be a finite nonatomic measure on a measurable space $(X,\Sigma)$, and for simplicity assume that $\mu(X) = 1$. There is a well-known "intermediate value theorem" of Sierpiński that states ...
Manny Reyes's user avatar
  • 5,407
15 votes
3 answers
2k views

Disintegrations are measurable measures - when are they continuous?

This is a sequel to another question I have asked. The notion of disintegration is a refinement of conditional probability to spaces which have more structure than abstract probability spaces; ...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512
15 votes
2 answers
3k views

What do we actually know about logarithmic energy ?

In potential theory, the $\textit{logarithmic energy}$ of a Radon measure $\mu$ acting on $\mathbb{C}$ is defined by $$I(\mu)=\iint\log\frac{1}{|x-y|}\mu(dx)\mu(dy).$$ Of course it is not well ...
Adrien Hardy's user avatar
  • 2,135
13 votes
4 answers
5k views

What is known about the Gaussian measure of the unit ball in a Hilbert Space?

Let $X$ be an infinite dimensional separable Hilbert Space with norm $||\cdot||$ and let $\mu$ be a Gaussian measure on $X$ such that $\mu(X) = 1$. What do we know about $\mu(B(0,1))$, where $B(0,1)$ ...
RadonNikodym's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
736 views

Idempotent measures on the free binary system?

Let $(S,*)$ be the free (non associative) binary system on one generator (so $S$ is just the set of terms in $*$ and $1$). There is an extension of $*$ to the space $P(S)$ of finitely additive ...
Justin Moore's user avatar
  • 3,547
12 votes
3 answers
870 views

Measure theory in nuclear spaces

Much of the literature on measure theory in linear spaces focuses on the case of normed linear spaces (e.g., the outstanding book by Vakhania, or its sequel). However, nuclear linear spaces "as far ...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512
11 votes
1 answer
676 views

Entropy arguments used by Jean Bourgain

My question comes from understanding a probabilistic inequality in Bourgain's paper on Erdős simiarilty problem: Construction of sets of positive measure not containing an affine image of a given ...
Tutukeainie's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why does Riesz's Representation Theorem apply in quantum mechanics?

$\DeclareMathOperator\tr{tr}$One begins with a quantum mechanical system, i.e. a unital $C^*$-algebra $A$. It is common to begin the discussion with embedding $A$ into the algebra of bounded operators ...
Andrew NC's user avatar
  • 2,071
9 votes
1 answer
359 views

Relaxation of notion of positive definite function

A function $f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ is called positive definite (in the semigroup sense) if for all $n\geq 1$ and $x_1,\ldots,x_n\in\mathbb{R}$ pairwise different the matrix $(f(x_i+x_j))_{i,j=1}^n$...
Hans's user avatar
  • 3,031
9 votes
1 answer
652 views

Scaling in Mehta's integral

The following expression is known as Mehta's integral and deeply connected to random matrix theory: $$\frac{1}{(2\pi)^{n/2}}\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \cdots \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \prod_{i=1}^n e^{-...
Pritam Bemis's user avatar
8 votes
0 answers
182 views

Distribution domination for sums of independent random variables in Banach spaces

Let $X$ be a Banach space and let $(\xi_n)$ and $(\eta_n)$ be independent mean-zero random variables with values in $X$ satisfying $$ \sum_n \mathbb P(\xi_n \in A) \leq \sum_n \mathbb P(\eta_n \in A), ...
Iv Yar's user avatar
  • 131
7 votes
1 answer
261 views

Comparison of several topologies for probability measures

Let $X$ be a compact metric space and denote $\mathcal M(X)$ the set of probability measures on $X$. For $\mu\in\mathcal M(X)$ we write $\operatorname{supp} \mu$ for the support of $\mu$. As is well ...
Kass's user avatar
  • 243
7 votes
4 answers
1k views

Is the space of tempered distribution second countable?

Let $\mathcal S '(\mathbb R^d)$ be the space of Schwartz tempered distributions equipped with the weak-* topology. I need to know if this space is second countable, i.e. if this topology has a ...
Thomas's user avatar
  • 630
6 votes
1 answer
798 views

Prohorov's theorem for random elements of Hilbert space: weak convergence

Let $(\Omega,\mathcal{F},P)$ be a probability space and let $(E,\mathcal{E})$ be a separable Hilbert space ($E$) with Borel $\sigma$-algebra $\mathcal{E}$. For concreteness let us set $E=L^{2}[a,b]$ ...
Nigel's user avatar
  • 61
6 votes
1 answer
641 views

Bochner-Minlos for moment-generating functions?

It is well-known that the Bochner-Minlos theorem characterises measures on duals of nuclear spaces by their characteristic functions. Is there a similar version for moment-generating functions? I have ...
iolo's user avatar
  • 651
5 votes
1 answer
224 views

Conditional expectation of random vectors

$\newcommand{\E}{\mathsf{E}}$ $\newcommand{\P}{\mathsf{P}}$ The following additional question was asked in a comment by user Oleg: Suppose that $(\Omega,\mathcal F,\P)$ is a probability space, $B$ ...
Iosif Pinelis's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
275 views

Is there a good notion of "random bounded linear map" on a separable Hilbert space?

Let $H$ be a separable Hilbert space and let $\{e_i\}$ be an orthonormal basis. My first question is: Is there a probability measure on $B(H)$ such that for $T$ chosen uniformly randomly the ...
Paul Siegel's user avatar
  • 29.2k
5 votes
1 answer
284 views

Malliavin derivative of stopped Brownian motion

Cross-posted from: "https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3917971/malliavin-derivative-of-stopped-brownian-motion" I have a small question concerning the Malliavin derivatives. It could ...
Cain's user avatar
  • 393
4 votes
1 answer
387 views

Asymptotic formula for fractional Laplacian

For the solution of $$ \begin{cases} \lambda u^\epsilon - \frac{\epsilon^2}{2} \Delta u^\epsilon = 0 &\text{in } \Omega \\ u^\epsilon=1 & \text{on } \partial \Omega \end{cases} $$ Varadhan ...
Jun's user avatar
  • 303
4 votes
1 answer
311 views

Examples of Borel probability measures on the Schwartz function space?

Let $\mathcal{S}(\mathbb{R}^d)$ be the Frechet space of Schwartz functions on $\mathbb{R}^n$. Its dual space $\mathcal{S}'(\mathbb{R}^d)$ is the space of tempered distributions. Minlos Theorem as ...
Isaac's user avatar
  • 3,477
4 votes
2 answers
374 views

Vague convergence: confusion about the regularity of a signed Radon measure and that of its variation

I'm reading a proof of below theorem from this paper. Theorem A.3. Let $\Omega$ be a locally compact normal Hausdorff space. Let $\left\{\mu_n\right\} \cup\{\mu\} \subset \mathcal{M}(\Omega)$ and ...
Analyst's user avatar
  • 657
4 votes
0 answers
119 views

Is the range of a probability-valued random variable with the variation topology (almost) separable?

Let $X$ and $Y$ be uncountable Polish spaces, $\Delta(Y)$ be the space of Borel probability measures on $Y$ endowed with the Borel $\sigma$-algebra induced by the variation distance, and let $g:X\to \...
Michael Greinecker's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
412 views

Is a Gaussian measure on a Hilbert space determined by the coarser topology induced by the covariance operator?

I have a basic question about Gaussian measures on a Hilbert space: Let $\mu$ be a non-degenerate Gaussian measure on a Hilbert space $(H_0,\left\langle \cdot,\cdot \right\rangle_0)$. Then the ...
r_faszanatas's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
378 views

Basic properties of expectation in non-separable Banach spaces

$\def\E{\hskip.15ex\mathsf{E}\hskip.10ex}$ Let $B$ be a (maybe nonseparable) Banach space equipped with the Borel $\sigma$-algebra $\mathscr{B}(B)$. Let $R:B\to \mathbb{R}$ be a bounded linear ...
Oleg's user avatar
  • 931
4 votes
0 answers
414 views

Definition of the Stratonovich integral in Hilbert spaces

Let $T>0$ $(\Omega,\mathcal A,\operatorname P)$ be a probability space $\mathcal F=(\mathcal F_t)_{t\in[0,\:T]}$ be a filtration on $(\Omega,\mathcal A,\operatorname P)$ $B$ be a (standard, real-...
0xbadf00d's user avatar
  • 167
3 votes
1 answer
299 views

Lipschitz functions that saturate the Lipschitz inequality on the average (part 1)

Consider a 1-Lipschitz function $f: \mathbb R^n \to \mathbb R$ satisfying the inequality \begin{align*} |f(x) - f(y)| \le \|x-y\|_2, \;\forall x,y \in \mathbb R^n. \end{align*} For $n \ge 2$, can we ...
passerby51's user avatar
  • 1,731
3 votes
2 answers
265 views

Can one realize this as an ergodic process?

Consider the lattice $\mathbb Z^2$ and take iid random variables $Y_e$ on all edges $e$ of the graph. We then define random variables $X_i:=\sum_{e \text{ adjacent to } i}Y_e.$ In other words: For ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
453 views

Weak convergence of probability measures on weak versus strong dual

The space of temperate distributions $S'(\mathbb{R}^d)$ is often equipped with the weak-$\ast$ or with the strong topology. When defining the notion of a probability measure on $S'(\mathbb{R}^d)$, ...
Abdelmalek Abdesselam's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
773 views

On the continuity of map $\Gamma$

Let $M$ be the space of right continuous functions $\ell: \mathbb R_+\to [0,1]$ that are non increasing s.t. $\ell(0)=0$. Define the map $\Gamma : M\to M$ by $\Gamma[\ell](t):=\mathbb P[\tau^{\ell}>...
GJC20's user avatar
  • 1,334
1 vote
0 answers
133 views

Does the Gaussian Poincare inequality hold for infinite dimensional measure metric spaces?

This is a question subsequent to the one: Does the Gaussian Poincare inequality hold for $p=1$ as well as $p=2$? There, I received a very helpful answer that the Gaussian poincare inequality for any ...
Isaac's user avatar
  • 3,477
1 vote
1 answer
368 views

Does the almost sure convergence of absolutely continuous r.v.'s imply the weak convergence of the pdf's in $(L^\infty)^*$?

The following question was asked in a comment at Almost sure convergence vs convergence of probability density functions : Suppose that $(X_n)$ is a sequence of random variables (r.v.'s) converging ...
Iosif Pinelis's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
100 views

Conditions on a measure to satisfy certain relation on moments.

Suppose we have a measure $\mu$ on $\mathbb R_+$ such that $\forall s>-1$ $t^s\in L^1(\mathrm d\mu(t))$. I'd like to impose some conditions on $\mu$ so the function $$f:p\to \frac{\int_0^\infty t^...
TZakrevskiy's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
177 views

Building random homeomorphisms of the torus $\mathbb T^2$

In https://arxiv.org/abs/0912.3423, a family of random homeomorphisms of the circle is constructed. Main Question: Can the construction be generalized to higher space dimensions, e.g. to $\mathbb T^2$?...
user490373's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
63 views

Properties of a kernel convolution $K'(x,y) = \int_X\int_X K_0(x,a)K(a,b)K_0(b,y)d\mu(a)d\mu(b)$ where $K$ and $K_0$ are kernels on $(X,\mu)$

Let $(X,\mu)$ be a probability measure space and $K:X \times X \to \mathbb R$ be a (psd) kernel on $X$. Let $K_0$ be another kernel on $X$ and defined a new kernel $\widetilde K$ on $X$ by $$ \...
dohmatob's user avatar
  • 6,853
1 vote
1 answer
505 views

Gaussian measures on non-separable spaces

Let $X$ be a topological affine space which is neither separable nor metrizable. There are plenty of trivial Gaussian measures: each Dirac point-mass $\delta_x$ are the Gaussian measure with zero ...
Tom LaGatta's user avatar
  • 8,512