Class of absolutely continuous probability measures is closed in total variation

measure-theorymetric-spacesprobabilityreal-analysis

Let $X$ be a subset of an Euclidean space and endow it with the Borel $\sigma$-field, say $\mathcal{X}$. Denote by $\mathcal{P}$ the class of all Borel probability measures on $(X,\mathcal{X})$. Let $\mathcal{P}_{0}$ be the class of absolutely continuous probability measures (w.r.t. to the Lebesgue measure). Endow $\mathcal{P}$ with the total variation metric
$$
d_{TV}(P,Q)= \sup_{B \in \mathcal{X}}|P(B)-Q(B)|.
$$

QUESTION: is $\mathcal{P}_{0}$ $d_{TV}$-closed?

I would be tempted to answer yes, in view of the following reasoning. Let $\nu$ be the Lebesgue measure on $(X,\mathcal{X})$ and define
$$
\Delta=\{f \in L_1(\nu):\, \int_Xf d\nu=1,\, f \geq 0 \,a.e.\}.
$$

Then, in a 1989 paper,

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4616132.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3A4ad9120f5b9af9f4af6aa1c012f5b44a

Gaudard and Hadwin argued that $\Delta$ is a closed subset of $L_1(\nu)$ (in fact, a Standard Borel subspace) and that the map $\Phi:\Delta\mapsto\mathcal{P} $ defined via

$$
[\Phi(f)](D)=\int_Df d\nu, \quad \text{for all } D \text{ Borel subset of }X,
$$

is $1-\text{to}-1$ and continuous. In particular, $\Phi$ is an isomporphism according to the usual definition e.g. Definition 1.3 in

http://www.math.ncku.edu.tw/~fjmliou/advcal/Completion.pdf

since it is an isometry and is surjective. Then, since $\mathcal{P}_0$ is isomorphic to a closed set (i.e. $\Delta$), it is closed itself. Correct?

Best Answer

You are making things too complicated. If $P_n \to P$ in TV then $P_n(B) \to P(B)$ for every Borel set $B$. Hence if $B$ is a Borel set with Lebesgue measure $0$ then $P(B) =\lim P_n(B)=\lim 0=0$. Hence $P$ is also absolutely continuous.

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