Integration – Uniform Convergence and Exchanging Limit and Integral

integrationlimitsnormal distributionuniform-convergence

I have to perform the following operation
$$\lim_{n\to\infty} \int_{-\infty}^{+\infty} \Phi(x+n) \phi(x) dx$$
where $\Phi$ and $\phi$ are the standard normal CDF and PDF respectively.

From what I understand, a sufficient condition to exchange limit and integral is that the integrand converges uniformly to its limit, which we know to be $\lim_{n\to\infty} \Phi(x+n) \phi(x) = \phi(x)$. Here, I don't think we have uniform convergence (but corrections are welcome as my understanding is still lacking), and one way to check it is to see that $\sup_x |\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)-\phi(x)| \not\rightarrow_{n\to\infty}0$.

However, solving the integral (using properties of standard normal integrals) yields
$$
\int_{-\infty}^{+\infty} \Phi(x+n) \phi(x) dx = \Phi(n)
$$

and so it turns out that
$$
\lim_{n\to\infty} \int_{-\infty}^{+\infty} \Phi(x+n) \phi(x) dx = \int_{-\infty}^{+\infty} \lim_{n\to\infty} \Phi(x+n) \phi(x) dx = 1,
$$

so we can exchange limit and integral.

What am I missing? I am trying to understand the theory behind, because I will have to deal with more general functions than $\Phi(x+n)$, all of which have limits in this sort of additive way.

Best Answer

If $f_n(x)\xrightarrow[n\to\infty]{}f(x)$ uniformly, then \begin{align*} \left\lvert\int_a^bf_n(x)\,\mathrm dx-\int_a^bf(x)\,\mathrm dx\right\rvert&\le\int_a^b\lvert f_n(x)-f(x)\rvert\,\mathrm dx\\&\le\int_a^b\|f_n-f\|_\infty\,\mathrm dx\\&=(b-a)\|f_n-f\|_\infty\\&\xrightarrow[n\to\infty]{}0.\end{align*} However, this is obviously assuming that $(a,b)$ is a finite interval, i.e., both $a$ and $b$ are finite.

Here you are integrating over $(-\infty,\infty)$. Nonetheless, you can use monotone convergence, as $(\Phi(\cdot+n))_{n\ge0}$ is non-decreasing (towards the constant function equals to $1$).

You can also use local uniform convergence as follows. On the one hand, $$\int_{-\infty}^\infty\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx\le\int_{-\infty}^\infty\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx=1,$$ so $$\limsup_{n\to\infty}\int_{-\infty}^\infty\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx\le1.$$ On the other hand, for each fixed $N>0$, by the uniform convergence $\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\xrightarrow[n\to\infty]{}\phi(x)$ on $[-N,N]$: $$\int_{-\infty}^\infty\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx\ge\int_{-N}^N\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx\xrightarrow[n\to\infty]{}\int_{-N}^N\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx,$$ which shows that $$\liminf_{n\to\infty}\int_{-\infty}^\infty\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx\ge\int_{-N}^N\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx.$$ Letting now $N\to\infty$ leads to $$\liminf_{n\to\infty}\int_{-\infty}^\infty\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx\ge\int_{-\infty}^\infty\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx=1.$$ Hence we have $$\lim_{n\to\infty}\int_{-\infty}^\infty\Phi(x+n)\phi(x)\,\mathrm dx=1.$$

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