1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910151933003321

Autore

Woess Wolfgang

Titolo

Denumerable Markov Chains [[electronic resource] ] : Generating Functions, Boundary Theory, Random Walks on Trees / / Wolfgang Woess

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Zuerich, Switzerland, : European Mathematical Society Publishing House, 2009

ISBN

3-03719-571-1

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (368 pages)

Collana

EMS Textbooks in Mathematics (ETB)

Classificazione

60-xx

Soggetti

Probability & statistics

Probability theory and stochastic processes

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Sommario/riassunto

Markov chains are the first and most important examples of random processes.  This book is about time-homogeneous Markov chains that evolve with discrete time  steps on a countable state space. Measure theory is not avoided, careful and  complete proofs are provided.    A specific feature is the systematic use, on a relatively elementary level, of generating  functions associated with transition probabilities for analyzing Markov chains. Basic  definitions and facts include the construction of the trajectory space and are followed  by ample material concerning recurrence and transience, the convergence and ergodic  theorems for positive recurrent chains. There is a side-trip to the Perron-Frobenius theorem.  Special attention is given to reversible Markov chains and to basic mathematical  models of "population evolution" such as birth-and-death chains, Galton-Watson  process and branching Markov chains.    A good part of the second half is devoted to the introduction of the basic language  and elements of the potential theory of transient Markov chains. Here the construction  and properties of the Martin boundary for describing positive harmonic functions  are crucial. In the long final chapter on nearest neighbour random walks on (typically  infinite) trees the reader can harvest from the seed of methods laid out so far, in order  to obtain a rather detailed



understanding of a specific, broad class of Markov chains.    The level varies from basic to more advanced, addressing an audience from master's  degree students to researchers in mathematics, and persons who want to teach the  subject on a medium or advanced level. A specific characteristic of the book is the rich  source of classroom-tested exercises with solutions.