Probability theory and stochastic processes Definition
Finite-dimensional distributions
Builds on Stochastic processProbability spaceLaw of a random variableSigma-algebra
Definition
Let be a probability space, and let be a measurable space. Let be a stochastic process with values in , indexed by a set . Let be the product sigma-algebra on . For and distinct , the finite-dimensional distribution of at is the measure on given by So is the law of the random vector . The finite-dimensional distributions of are the family of all these measures.
Remarks
The family is consistent. Permuting the times permutes the coordinates of the measure, and . Conversely, for a Polish space, the Kolmogorov extension theorem gives a process with any prescribed consistent family.
Example: for the standard Wiener process on , the law of is the multivariate normal distribution with mean and covariance matrix .
Two processes with the same finite-dimensional distributions can have different paths. Let be uniform on , let and let for . For any fixed times, , so and have the same finite-dimensional distributions. But every path of is continuous, and no path of is continuous.
Reading path
To understand this page from the ground up, read these 43 pages in order. The foundations come first.
- Construction of the reals from Cauchy sequences concept
- Element definition
- Integers object
- Law of a random variable concept
- Ordered field definition
- Probability space concept
- Proposition concept
- Random experiment concept
- Rational numbers object
- Real numbers object
- Sigma-algebra concept
- Set definition
- Ring of integers statement
- Disjunction definition
- Implication definition
- Predicate definition
- Ordered pair definition
- Union definition
- Sample space definition
- Existential quantifier definition
- Universal quantifier definition
- The rationals form a field statement
- Cartesian product definition
- Subset definition
- Uniqueness quantifier definition
- The rationals form an ordered field statement
- Binary relation definition
- Universal set definition
- Power set definition
- Order on the reals definition
- Complement definition
- Function definition
- Interval definition
- Sigma-algebra definition
- Preimage of a set definition
- Event definition
- Borel sigma-algebra definition
- Probability axioms concept
- Probability measure definition
- Probability space definition
- Random variable definition
- Stochastic process concept
- Finite-dimensional distributions definition
Further reading
About this page
| Tag | CFQXJ4FHR4 |
|---|---|
| URI | m2://CFQXJ4FHR4 |
| Kind | definition |
| Writing | W0 stub |
| MSC | 60G05, 60G07 |
| Defines | Finite-dimensional distributions |
| Uses | Stochastic process, Probability space, Law of a random variable, Sigma-algebra |
| Changed | 2 November 2026 |
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