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Variance of an Ito integral with Gaussian-type integrand

Question

Consider the stochastic integral X=∫02s exp⁡ ⁣(18Ws2) dWsX=\int_0^2 \sqrt{s}\,\exp\!\big(\tfrac18 W_s^2\big)\,dW_s, where WW is standard Brownian motion. What is Var⁡(X)\operatorname{Var}(X)?

Short answer

16/316/3. XX has mean zero, and the Ito isometry gives E[X2]=∫02s E[exp⁡(Ws2/4)] ds\mathbb{E}[X^2]=\int_0^2 s\,\mathbb{E}[\exp(W_s^2/4)]\,ds. Since Ws2=sZ2W_s^2=sZ^2 and E[ecZ2]=(1−2c)−1/2\mathbb{E}[e^{cZ^2}]=(1-2c)^{-1/2}, the integrand is s(1−s/2)−1/2s(1-s/2)^{-1/2}, and substituting u=1−s/2u=1-s/2 gives 4∫01(u−1/2−u1/2)du=16/34\int_0^1(u^{-1/2}-u^{1/2})du=16/3.

Adapted from QuantQuestions.io; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

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