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How does one compute $E[(\int_0^T W_s ds)^2]$ where $(W_t)_{t \in [0,T]}$ is standard Brownian motion in $(\Omega, \mathscr F, \mathbb P)$?

Apparently proving this representation

$$\int_0^T W_s ds = \int_0^T (T-s) dW_s \tag{*}$$

might need to assume that $E[(\int_0^T W_s ds)^2] < \infty$


But how do you show $E[(\int_0^T W_s ds)^2] < \infty$?

Actually, I can use Ito's lemma, $(*)$ and then use Ito isometry to show that

$$E[(\int_0^T W_s ds)^2] = E[(\int_0^T (T-s) dW_s)^2] = (\int_0^T (T-s)^2 ds) < \infty$$

But I need the reverse. How do we compute $E[(\int_0^T W_s ds)^2]$ besides using the representation (if it's possible)? I don't think we encountered something like $\int_0^T W_s ds$ in classes.

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1 Answer 1

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Prologue: My definition of standard Brownian motion is a (nonstationary) Gaussian random process $\{W_t \colon t > 0\}$ where $$W_t = \int_0^t X_s \,\mathrm ds,$$ $\{X_s \colon s \in \mathbb R \}$ being a (zero-mean) white Gaussian noise process with autocorrelation function $\sigma^2 \delta(s)$ where $\delta(s)$ denotes the Dirac delta.Thus, we have that $$E[W_t] = E\left[\int_0^t X_s \,\mathrm ds \right] = \int_0^t E[X_s] \,\mathrm ds = 0,$$ and \begin{align} E[(W_t)^2] &= E\left[\int_0^t X_s \,\mathrm ds \int_0^t X_r \,\mathrm dr \right]\\ &= E\left[\int_0^t \int_0^t X_sX_r \,\mathrm ds\,\mathrm dr \right]\\ &= \int_0^t \int_0^t E[X_sX_r] \,\mathrm ds\,\mathrm dr\\ &= \int_0^t \int_0^t \sigma^2\delta(s-r) \,\mathrm ds\,\mathrm dr\\ &= \int_0^t \sigma^2\,\mathrm dr\\ &= \sigma^2 t. \end{align} To find $E[W_tW_s]$, note that $$W_tW_s = W_{\min(t,s)}W_{\max(t,s)} = W_{\min(t,s)}\left(W_{\min(t,s)}+\int_{\min(t,s)}^{\max(t,s)}X_r \, \mathrm dr\right)$$ where $W_{\min(t,s)}$ and $\displaystyle\int_{\min(t,s)}^{\max(t,s)}X_r \, \mathrm dr$, being the integrals of white noise over two disjoint intervals of time, thus are independent zero-mean random variables. Consequently, \begin{align} E[W_tW_s] &= E\left[W_{\min(t,s)}\left(W_{\min(t,s)}+\int_{\min(t,s)}^{\max(t,s)}X_r \, \mathrm dr\right)\right]\\ &= E[(W_{\min(t,s)})^2] + E\left[W_{\min(t,s)}\int_{\min(t,s)}^{\max(t,s)}X_r \, \mathrm dr\right)]\\ &= E[(W_{\min(t,s)})^2] = \sigma^2\min(t,s) \end{align}

Summary: Standard Brownian motion is a zero-mean nonstationary Gaussian process with autocorrelation function $R_W(t,s) = E[W_tW_s] = \sigma^2\min(t,s).$

End of Prologue:

Since $E[W_tW_s]=\sigma^2\min(t,s)$, \begin{align} E\left[\left(\int_0^T W_t\,\mathrm dt\right)^2\right]&=E\left[\int_0^TW_t\,\mathrm dt\int_0^TW_t\,\mathrm dt\right]\\ &=E\left[\int_0^TW_t\,\mathrm dt\int_0^TW_s\,\mathrm ds\right]\\ &=E\left[\int_0^T\int_0^TW_t\,W_s\,\mathrm dt \,\mathrm ds\right]\\ &=\int_0^T\int_0^T E[W_tW_s]\,\mathrm dt\,\mathrm ds\\ &=\int_0^T\int_0^T \sigma^2\min(t,s)\,\mathrm dt\,\mathrm ds\\ &=\int_0^T\left[\int_0^T\sigma^2\min(t,s)\,\mathrm dt\right]\,\mathrm ds\\ &=\int_0^T\left[\int_0^s\sigma^2 \min(t,s)\,\mathrm dt + \int_s^T\sigma^2 \min(t,s)\,\mathrm dt\right]\,\mathrm ds\\ &=\int_0^T \int_0^s\sigma^2 \min(t,s)\,\mathrm dt\,\mathrm ds + \int_0^T\int_s^T\sigma^2 \min(t,s)\,\mathrm dt\,\mathrm ds\tag{1}\\ &= \int_0^T\int_0^s\sigma^2 t\,\mathrm dt\,\mathrm ds + \int_0^T\int_s^T\sigma^2 s\,\mathrm dt\,\mathrm ds\tag{2}\\ &=\int_0^T\sigma^2\frac{s^2}{2}\,\mathrm ds + \int_0^T\sigma^2(T-s)s\,\mathrm ds\\ &= \sigma^2\left(\frac{T^3}{6}+\frac{T^3}{2}-\frac{T^3}{3}\right)\\ &= \sigma^2\frac{T^3}{3}<\infty \end{align}

I hope that the answer above is understandable and acceptable to most readers, but for the benefit of @youpilat13 and any others confused as to how $(2)$ follows from $(1)$, I add the following explanation.

There are two double integrals in $(1)$ and they are over disjoint right triangular regions, separated by the line $s=t$, in the plane. As to why the two integrals are being summed, we are trying to compute the integral over a square region and we are breaking up the integral over the square into the sum of integrals over two disjoint subsets (right triangles), computing each integral separately, and then adding the results together to determine the integral over the square region.

In the inner integral in the first double integral in $(1)$, $s$ is a constant with respect to $t$, the variable of integration, but since $t$ varies from $0$ to $s$ only, it must be that $\min(t,s)$ equals $t$. Similarly, in the inner integral in the second double integral in $(1)$, $s$ is a constant with respect to $t$, the variable of integration, but since $t$ varies from $s$ to $T$ only, it must be that $\min(t,s)$ equals $s$.

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    $\begingroup$ Thanks Dilip Sarwate. I was afraid of going through using a definition with partitions or something. Hahaha. Does Fubini's indeed hold for switching an expectation and a double integral? Well O guess if we can switch for two integrals we can switch for n integrals (n=3). Just haven't seen that before $\endgroup$
    – BCLC
    Commented Dec 24, 2015 at 5:33
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    $\begingroup$ @DilipSarwate . Hello ! I have difficulties to understand the step : $$\begin{aligned} &=\int_{0}^{T} \int_{0}^{T} \sigma^{2} \min (t, s) \mathrm{d} t \mathrm{~d} s \\ &=\int_{0}^{T} \int_{0}^{s} \sigma^{2} t \mathrm{~d} t \mathrm{~d} s+\int_{0}^{T} \int_{s}^{T} \sigma^{2} s \mathrm{~d} t \mathrm{~d} s \end{aligned}$$ . If you could help me to understand the trick ? Regards $\endgroup$
    – user226073
    Commented Sep 24, 2021 at 9:13
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    $\begingroup$ @youpilat13 The integral is over a square region, and it is being written as the sum of integrals over two disjoint triangular regions separated by the line $s=t$. Draw a picture to understand what's going on. Then, notice that in one region, $\min(t,s) = t$, while in the other region, $\min(t,s) = s$. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 24, 2021 at 13:39
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    $\begingroup$ @DilipSarwate . Thanks but why 2 terms summed : either $\text{min}(t,s)=s$, or $\text{min}(t,s)=t$ but we can't take into account the 2 cases, can we ? In both cases, I have only a triangular region, not a square region ? $\endgroup$
    – user226073
    Commented Oct 4, 2021 at 11:04
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    $\begingroup$ @BCLC Standard Brownian motion can be defined as the integral of a white Gaussian noise with autocorrelation function $\sigma^2\delta(t)$ and so $\sigma^2$ is the coefficient multiplying the Dirac delta. Alternatively. $\sigma^2$ is the variance of $W_1$. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 18 at 18:44

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