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Birkhoff's theorem for an ergodic probability system

Statement

If T is an ergodic measure-preserving transformation of a probability space and f is an integrable real-valued measurable function, then, for n≥1, the averages Anf=n−1∑j=0n−1f∘Tj satisfy Anf→c=∫f dP almost surely and in L1. Invertibility is not required.

Facts & Assumptions

[F1]

The Lebesgue integral is linear on L1(μ): The class L1(μ) is a complex vector space, and the Lebesgue integral is complex-linear on it: ∫(αf+βg) dμ=α∫f dμ+β∫g dμ(α,β∈C, f,g∈L1(μ)).

[F2]

Arithmetic and lattice operations preserve measurability whenever they are defined: Let (X,A) be a measurable space and let f,g:X→R‾ be measurable. Then:

  1. cf is measurable for every real scalar c;
  2. max⁡(f,g), min⁡(f,g), ∣f∣, f+, and f− are measurable;
  3. if f+g is pointwise defined, then f+g is measurable;
  4. with the total function-product convention declared in that theorem, the pointwise product fg is measurable.
[F3]

Sequential suprema, infima, limsup, liminf, and pointwise limits of measurable functions are measurable: Let (X,A) be a measurable space and let fn:X→R‾ be measurable for every n∈N. Then the functions

sup⁡nfn,inf⁡nfn,lim sup⁡nfn,lim inf⁡nfn

are measurable. The set

{ x:lim⁡nfn(x) exists in R‾ }

is measurable. In particular, if fn→f pointwise, then f is measurable.

[F4]

The maximal ergodic inequality on a probability space: Let T preserve a probability measure P, and let f be integrable, real-valued and measurable. Put Skf=∑j=0k−1f∘Tj, MN=max⁡(0,S1f,…,SNf) and EN={MN>0} for N≥1. Then ∫ENf dP≥0, and also ∫Ef dP≥0 for E={sup⁡k≥1Skf>0}.

[F5]

Ergodicity relative to an invariant measure: A measure-preserving system is ergodic for μ if each E∈I has μ(E)=0 or μ(X∖E)=0, with I as in def-strict-and-mod-null-invariant-σ-algebras. For a probability system this means μ(E)∈{0,1}. The definition is relative to the invariant measure; no probability assumption is implicit in the general null/conull formulation.

[F6]

Finite and countable subadditivity of measures: Let μ be a measure and let (Ek)k∈N be measurable. Then

μ(⋃k∈NEk)≤∑k=0∞μ(Ek).

For every m∈N one also has

μ(⋃k<mEk)≤∑k<mμ(Ek),

including m=0, where both sides are 0.

[F7]

Dominated convergence: Let f and (fn) be measurable complex-valued functions such that fn→f almost everywhere and ∣fn∣≤g almost everywhere for a single nonnegative measurable function g with ∫g dμ<+∞. Then f∈L1(μ), ∫∣fn−f∣ dμ⟶0, and hence ∫fn dμ⟶∫f dμ.

[F8]

The modulus of an integral is bounded by the integral of the modulus: If f∈L1(μ), then ∣∫f dμ∣≤∫∣f∣ dμ.

[F9]

Integral invariance under measure-preserving maps: If T preserves μ and f:X→[0,∞] is measurable, then ∫f∘T dμ=∫f dμ, allowing infinity. If f is integrable real or complex valued, f∘T is integrable and the same equality holds. Conversely, for a measurable self-map, equality for every measurable indicator implies measure preservation.

Proof

Given: The objects, hypotheses and definitions in the statement. Its conclusions are to be established below.

1.1F1F2F3

Set h=f−c so ∫h dP=0 by F1. For n≥1, the finite averages are measurable by F2, and L=lim sup⁡n→∞Anh is extended-real measurable by F3.

1.2givenalgebra

At every x and every n≥1, Anh(Tx)=((n+1)/n)An+1h(x)−h(x)/n. This implies L(Tx)=L(x) even if L is infinite: multiplying a real sequence by positive factors tending to one preserves finite limsup by eventual upper bounds and a subsequence tending to that limsup; if the limsup is positive infinity there is a subsequence tending to positive infinity, and if it is negative infinity all sufficiently late terms lie below every fixed negative bound. Subtraction of h(x)/n tends to zero because h is finite everywhere. Thus for every ε>0 the measurable set D={L>ε} is strictly invariant.

2.1F4step 1.2

Let g=(h−ε)1D, an integrable function. Strict invariance in step 1.2 gives Sng=1D(Snh−nε) for n≥1. Outside D all these sums vanish; inside D the defining strict limsup gives some positive sum. Thus {sup⁡n≥1Sng>0}=D, and F4 gives ∫D(h−ε) dP≥0.

3.1F5F6step 1.1step 2.1

By F5, P(D) is zero or one. If it were one, step 1.1 would give ∫D(h−ε)=−ε<0, contrary to step 2.1. Hence P(D)=0. Apply this conclusion to h and -h and to ε=1/m for every positive integer m. F6 makes the union of the exceptional events null, so lim sup⁡Anh≤0≤lim inf⁡Anh almost surely. This proves the almost-sure assertion.

4.1F7

For each integer K≥1 put fK=f1{∣f∣≤K} and cK=∫fK. Step 3.1 applied to f_K gives AnfK→cK almost surely, and ∣AnfK−cK∣≤2K. F7 yields ∥AnfK−cK∥1→0.

5.1F8F9step 4.1∎

By F8 and F9, ∥An(f−fK)∥1≤∥f−fK∥1 and ∣c−cK∣≤∥f−fK∥1. Consequently ∥Anf−c∥1≤2∥f−fK∥1+∥AnfK−cK∥1. Dominated convergence makes the first term tend to zero as K increases, uniformly in n; step 4.1 then handles the second term with K fixed. This proves L1 convergence.

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