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3 votes
1 answer
190 views

Quantitative version of ergodic theorem in Markov chains

Consider an irreducible Markov chain $X_t$ with finite state space $E$, and unique invariant measure $\pi$. Fix a function $V:E\to\mathbb R$ such that $E_\pi[V]=0$. The ergodic theorem tells us that, ...
17 votes
2 answers
2k views

Random walk is to diffusion as self-avoiding random walk is to ...?

One can view a random walk as a discrete process whose continuous analog is diffusion. For example, discretizing the heat diffusion equation (in both time and space) leads to random walks. Is there a ...
3 votes
1 answer
307 views

"Ergodic theorem" for Markov kernels

Consider a discrete time Markov chain $(X_t)$ on a finite state space $\mathcal{S}$, with transition matrix $P$. Assume that the chain admits a stationary distribution $\pi$, which I will identify ...
2 votes
0 answers
123 views

Probability of a finite cylinder set in a free group

Let $\mathbb{F}_n$ be the free group (each elemen is in its reduced form) generated by the set $\Sigma_n = \{a_1, a_2, \cdots, a_n, a_1^{-1}, a_2^{-1}, \cdots, a_n^{-1}\}$ and let $e$ denote the ...
8 votes
3 answers
404 views

All two-point correlations equal to $0$, three-point correlation not $0$?

Let $a_1,a_2,a_3,\dotsc \in \{-1,1\}$ be a sequence. Suppose that, for all $j>0$ and all $\epsilon, \epsilon'\in \{-1,1\}$, the proportion of $n\geq 1$ such that $(a_n,a_{n+j}) = (\epsilon,\epsilon'...
0 votes
1 answer
109 views

Sets of invariant measures of Markov operators

A family of Markov operators $P_i \colon C \to C, i \in I$ is given. Let $V_i$ be the set of the $P_i$-invariant measures. Is there any result in the literature about a necessary and sufficient ...
1 vote
1 answer
183 views

finiteness of moments of the stationary distribution of a Markov chain

I have a Markov chain $\{X_k\}_{k\geq 0}$ on $\mathbb{R}$. The corresponding probability density functions satisfy $$ f_{k+1}(t) = \int_{-\infty}^\infty \Psi(t,\tau)f_k(\tau)\,d\tau,\qquad k=0,1,2,\...
1 vote
1 answer
189 views

If a Markov semigroup is eventually contractive, can we conclude that it admits a unique invariant measure?

Let $E$ be a separable $\mathbb R$-Banach space, $\rho$ be a complete separable metric on $E$, $\operatorname W_\rho$ denote the Wasserstein metric of order $1$ associated to $\rho$, $\mathcal M_1(E)$ ...
2 votes
1 answer
290 views

Uniform upper bound on contraction coefficient w.r.t total-variation metric, of a certain set of block-diagonal Markov kernels

Disclaimer. This is related to another question I've asked on the TCS site https://cstheory.stackexchange.com/q/46097/44644. I'm new to information theory (and other relevant fields). It's even ...
1 vote
0 answers
56 views

Minimizing the rate of geometric ergodicity of a Metropolis-Hastings kernel depending on a parameter

Let $\tilde\kappa$ denote the transition kernel of the Markov chain generated by the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm with proposal kernel $\tilde Q$ and target distribution $\tilde\mu$. I want to ...
0 votes
1 answer
82 views

In smooth stochastic dynamics, if a Lebesgue-like measure is both forward-time and reverse-time stationary, is the measure necessarily incompressible?

Let $(\Omega,\mathcal{F},\mathbb{P})$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a compact connected $C^\infty$-smooth manifold. Let $F \colon \Omega \times X \to X$ and $\bar{F} \colon \Omega \times X \to ...
0 votes
1 answer
95 views

If a probability measure is stationary in both forward time and reverse time, does this imply that the measure is incompressible?

Let $(\Omega,\mathcal{F},\mathbb{P})$ be a probability space and let $X$ be a compact metric space. Let $F \colon \Omega \times X \to X$ and $\bar{F} \colon \Omega \times X \to X$ be measurable ...
2 votes
0 answers
113 views

Characterizing the relationship between element-wise Markov transitions and the full-conditionals of the stationary distribution

Consider a $p$ dimensional random variable with a discrete support. Consider a Markov transition kernel on the state space that is defined in terms of element-wise transition distributions. One can ...
2 votes
1 answer
409 views

Existence and uniqueness of a stationary measure

This same question was also posted on MSE https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/3327007/existence-and-uniqueness-of-a-stationary-measure. Recently I have posted the following question on MO ...
3 votes
1 answer
343 views

Positive and Null recurrence of Markov Chains on a General State Space

Suppose $X_n$ is an irreducible, aperiodic and Harris recurrent Markov chain. It is well known that in this case, $X_n$ has a stationary distribution $\pi$. Are there any conditions that are ...
1 vote
1 answer
404 views

Does Irreducibility holds for the Ergodic non-stationary Markov chain?

In the stationary case, I know that if the chain is irreducible and aperiodic, it is Ergodic. But in the non-stationary case, i can not comprehend the content deeply. I want to know if Irreducibility ...
1 vote
1 answer
377 views

Ergodicity of the product Markov chain

$\def\P{\mathsf{P}}$ Let $(X_n)_{n\in\mathbb{Z}_+}$ be a Markov chain with a transition kernel $P(x,dy)$. Consider now a product Markov chain $(X^1_n,X^2_n)_{n\in\mathbb{Z}_+}$ with the transition ...
1 vote
1 answer
222 views

Uniqueness of invariant measure for equivalent transition probabilities

Suppose $P(x,dy)$ and $Q(x,dy)$ are two Markov transition kernels on a topological space $E$ equipped with Borel $\sigma$-algebra $\mathcal B(E)$. Suppose for every $x \in E$, $P(x,\cdot)$ and $Q(x, \...
2 votes
0 answers
207 views

markov processes and ergodic theory

For an ergodic Markov Chain $$ \frac{1}{N}\sum_{i=1}^n f(X_i) \rightarrow E_\pi[f] $$ where $\pi$ is the invariant distribution. I am also dealing with a Markovian process (a state space model to ...
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

Can ergodic theory help to prove ergodicity of general Markov chain?

I am a beginner in ergodic theory. I have read some lecture notes(such as this and this) about it in hope that I could find something which helps to prove the ergodicity of some Markov chain taking ...
7 votes
2 answers
698 views

Convergence rate of the convolution of almost uniform measures on $\mathbb{Z}_p$

Statement Given a finite abelian group $G$ and two independent random variables $X,Y$ taking values in $G$ and satisfying $d_{TV}(X,U_G)\leqslant \delta$ and $d_{TV}(Y,U_G)\leqslant \delta$ (where $...
3 votes
0 answers
95 views

Best convergence rate for convolutions on $\mathbb{Z}_p$

Suppose, that we have sequence of i.i.d variables $X_1,\ldots,X_n$ taking values in $\mathbb{Z}_p$ such that $d_{TV}(X_1,U) < \delta$. How fast, in terms of $\delta$ and $n$ does the sum $X_1+\...
4 votes
0 answers
282 views

Markov operators and existence of ergodic measures

My question refers to the yesterday's question (see here) of John Learner and goes as follows: Can we deduce the existence of an ergodic measure if we know that an invariant measure exists, but the ...
4 votes
1 answer
213 views

Practical way to check for geometric convergence

Target distribution is multimodal, 24 dimensions, continuous state space. For MCMC integration (MH sampler) I use a manually tuned proposal distribution. When I measure the convergence rate ...
3 votes
1 answer
295 views

Finitarily Markovian Finite Factors of Bernoulli Schemes

By processes, I mean discrete, stationary stochastic processes, that is $(X,\mathcal{U},\mu,T)$ where $X$ is the set of doubly infinite sequences of some alphabet $A$, $\mathcal{U}$ is the $\sigma$-...