Is the space of probability density functions Banach

banach-spacesprobabilityprobability distributions

Let $f:{\mathbb R}^m \rightarrow {\mathbb R}_+$ a probability density function that satisfies $\int_{{\mathbb R}^m} f(x)dx = 1$.

Let $S$ be the space of all density functions on ${\mathbb R}^m$. Is there a metric that makes this space a Banach space?

I suppose that this is classical result (either positive or negative answer), so I mainly need a reference.

Best Answer

It is a complete metric space under the $L^{1}$ metric: $d(f,g)=\int|f-g|$. It cannot be a Banach space because it is not a vector space. Proof of the fact that this space is complete: if $f_n$ is a density function for each $n$ and $\{f_n\}$ is Cauchy then there exists $f \in L^{1}$ such that $f_n \to f$ in $L^{1}$ (because $L^{1}$ is complete). There is a subsequence which converges almost everywhere to $f$. Hence $f \geq 0$ almost everywhere. Of course, $\int f =\lim \int f_n$ so $\int f=1$. Hence $f$ is also a density function proving completeness.