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Questions tagged [stochastic-processes]

A stochastic process is a collection of random variables usually indexed by a totally ordered set.

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1 answer
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Uniqueness of the solution to some SDE

Consider the stochastic differential equation as follows: $$X_t=X_0+t+\int_0^t\frac{dW_s}{1+m(s)},\quad \forall t\ge 0,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(\ast)$$ where $X_0>0$ is square integrable and $m(t)=\mathbb P[...
GJC20's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
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Intuition/elegant reason for why Langevin diffusion converges to $\exp(-U)$?

Given a potential function $U: \mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}$, Langevin diffusion is gradient descent plus a Brownian motion term: $X' = -\nabla U(X) + \sqrt{2} \text{ }dW$. It happens that the ...
Linus Hamilton's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
684 views

Differentiable dependence on the initial condition of the solution of a SDE

Let $b,\sigma:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R$ be differentiable and Lipschitz continuous $(\Omega,\mathcal A,\operatorname P)$ be a probability space $(\mathcal F_t)_{t\ge0}$ be a complete and right-...
0xbadf00d's user avatar
  • 167
56 votes
6 answers
5k views

Escape the zombie apocalypse

Consider zombies placed uniformly at random over $\mathbb{R}^2$ with asymptotic density $\mu$ zombies/area. You are placed at a random point and can move with speed $1$. Zombies move with speed $v\leq ...
TROLLHUNTER's user avatar
52 votes
5 answers
2k views

Tetris-like falling sticky disks

Suppose unit-radius disks fall vertically from $y=+\infty$, one by one, and create a random jumble of disks above the $x$-axis. When a falling disk hits another, it stops and sticks there. Otherwise, ...
Joseph O'Rourke's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
896 views

A non-degenerate martingale

Let $(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, P)$ be a probability space, on which $\mathcal{F}_t$ is filtration satisfying general conditions. $W_t$ is a standard Brownian motion. Let $Y_t$ be a martingale given by $$...
kenneth's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
509 views

What work has been done on SDE with diffusion coefficients of bounded variation in $\mathbb R^d$?

Consider the $d$-dimensional SDE, $d > 1$, $$dX_t = b(X_t) \, dt + \sigma(X_t) \, dW_t$$ where $W$ is a standard $d$-dimensional Brownian motion. I am interested in the case where $\sigma: \mathbb ...
Nate River's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
973 views

Recursive random number generator based on irrational numbers

Here $\{\cdot\}$ and $\lfloor \cdot\rfloor$ denote the fractional part and floor functions respectively. For a negative, non-integer number $x$, we use the following definition: $\{x\}=1-\{-x\}$. If $...
Vincent Granville's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
351 views

Weak convergence for discrete-time processes using characteristic functions

I am looking for a good reference about the analogues of the Bochner Theorem and the Lévy Continuity Theorem for probability measures on $\mathbb{R}^{\mathbb{N}}$ with the product topology. ...
Abdelmalek Abdesselam's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
138 views

Characterization of martingale diffusions ending in $\{-1,1\}$

Let $\mathcal M$ be the collection of martingle diffusions starting at zero and ending in $\{-1,1\}$. Equivalently, $X\in \mathcal M$ iff there exists a measurable function $a$ s.t. it holds almost ...
GJC20's user avatar
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21 votes
4 answers
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Maximum of Gaussian Random Variables

Let $x_1,x_2,…,x_n$ be zero mean Gaussian random variables with covariance matrix $\Sigma=(\sigma_{ij})_{1\leq i,j\leq n}$. Let $m$ be the maximum of the random variables $x_{i}$ $$ m=\max\{x_i:i=...
ght's user avatar
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15 votes
4 answers
2k views

Positivity of certain Fourier transform

Is the Fourier transform of the function $$ f(\xi) = e^{-t|\xi|^{2m}}$$ positive for $t>0$ and $m \in \mathbb{N}_0$?
Matthias Ludewig's user avatar
14 votes
2 answers
1k views

Error term for renewal function

Consider a sequence of independent uniform $[0,1]$ random variables, and for nonnegative real $t$, let $m(t)$ be the expected number of terms in the first partial sum that exceeds $t$. For instance it'...
Johan Wästlund's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
1k views

Can every discrete martingale be embedded in a continuous martingale?

Let $(X_k)_{k=0,1,..., n}$ be a discrete martingale defined on some probability space $(\Omega,\mathcal{F},\mathbb{P})$. I would like to know whether there exists a (continuous) martingale $(\tilde{X}...
CodeGolf's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
2k views

Birkhoff Ergodic Theorem and Ergodic Decomposition Theorem for Continuous-Time Markov Processes

I have a couple of questions regarding ergodicity for Markov processes in continuous time. (In particular, the first question seems like it should be particularly basic, and yet I haven't managed to ...
Julian Newman's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

The Wiener measure of an open set

There is so much written about the Brownian motion and I suspect the answers to the questions below are hidden in somewhere in the literature but I cannot find them Denote by $E$ the Banach space ...
Liviu Nicolaescu's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
4k views

A stochastic process that is 1st and 2nd order (strictly) stationary, but not 3rd order stationary

I asked this question on stats.stackexchange.com a little while back but didn't get an answer. It was suggested that I post it here at the time. There appears to be some migratory problems going on ...
Robby McKilliam's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
3k views

Finite time hitting probabilities for Brownian motion in the plane

Consider a Brownian particle in the plane with a circular trap at the origin. If we give the particle enough time it falls into the trap (since Brownian motion is space filling in 2D). However, ...
Jeff Schenker's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

A curious martingale

Does there exist an almost surely continuous martingale $X$ with $X_t \to +\infty$ almost surely? Remark: Note that such a martingale exists in discrete time, or equivalently in continuous time if the ...
Nate River's user avatar
  • 6,155
5 votes
2 answers
688 views

Endpoint of Brownian motion conditional on high maxima

Note: This question is closely related to an earlier question: A large noise limit. Let $W$ be a standard one dimensional Brownian motion. For every $\varepsilon > 0$, let $A_\varepsilon$ denote ...
Nate River's user avatar
  • 6,155
5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Probability of general Brownian (or non) bridge to be higher than given parameter?

Consider general Brownian bridge W(0)=0; W(T) = a. (Here "general" means: $W(T)\ne 0$). What is the probability W(t) >= b, for all $ t \in [0, T] $ ? Is there close simple formula in terms of a,...
Alexander Chervov's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
181 views

Small noise limits with irregular drift

Let $W$ be a standard $d$-dimensional Brownian motion. Suppose $b: \mathbb R^d \to \mathbb R^d$ is measurable and bounded. Consider, for every $\varepsilon > 0$, the solution $X^\varepsilon$ on $[0,...
Nate River's user avatar
  • 6,155
4 votes
2 answers
182 views

A Stochastic Dynamical Billiard

Consider the following stochastic dynamical system. Fix $a > 0$, $b > 0$ and $v > 0$, and let $\mathbf{r}(t)=(x(t),y(t))$ be the position at time $t$ of a point which moves in the rectangle ...
Maurizio Barbato's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
258 views

When is $\prod_{i=0}^\infty (I-x_i x_i^T)=0$ for isotropic Gaussian $x_i$?

Suppose $x_i$ is sampled IID from isotropic zero-centered Gaussian random variable in $d$ dimensions with covariance $\Sigma=c*I$. When is the following true with probability 1? $$\prod_{i=0}^\infty (...
Yaroslav Bulatov's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
274 views

Paper request : “A random integral and Orlicz spaces” from K. Urbanick

I tried all my methods to find the paper : “K. Urbanik and WA Woyczynski, A random integral and Orlicz spaces, Bulletin de l'Académie Polonaise des Sciences, Série des sciences mathématiques, ...
Stochastic Student's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Change of time or change of measure

Consider simple diffusion $dX_t = \sigma dw_t$ and a parameter $a>0$ and $X_0=x$. Let us denote $Y_t = X_{at}$ - thus we made a change of time. Let us denote an original measure as $P$. How to find ...
SBF's user avatar
  • 1,655
4 votes
1 answer
262 views

Bounded density for diffusions with diffusion coefficients bounded away from $0$

Consider a diffusion given by $$X_t=\int_0^t a(s,X_s)\,dW_s$$ for $t\ge 0$, where $W_\cdot$ is a standard Wiener process/Brownian motion and $a$ is a smooth enough positive function bounded away from $...
Iosif Pinelis's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
308 views

$f: [0,1]\rightarrow L^1(\Omega)$ as a (measurable?) function from $[0,1]\times \Omega\rightarrow \mathbb{R}$

Given a map from $\big([0,1], \mathcal{B}[0,1], m\big)$ to a Banach space $(X, \|\cdot \|)$. There are strong measurable functions (they are the point wise a.e. limit of simple functions) and weak ...
Xiao's user avatar
  • 485
3 votes
0 answers
259 views

Do the Birkhoff averages of a measurable stationary homogeneous Markov process in continuous time "converge to the right limit"?

[I've decided to rewrite the question, to make the essential point clearer.] Let $\,\mathbb{R}^{[0,\infty)}:=\{(x_t)_{t \geq 0} : x_t \in \mathbb{R} \ \, \forall t\}$. We say that a set $Y \subset \...
Julian Newman's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
655 views

Forgery theorem: the Brownian motion stays close to any curve with positive probability

In a paper I am reading the authors claim that, if $B$ is a standard BM in $\mathbb{R}$ and $f\in C([0,1],\mathbb{R})$, then for any $\epsilon>0$ $$ \mathbb{P}(\sup_{t\in [0,1]}|B_t-f(t)|<\...
No-one's user avatar
  • 1,149
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

Kolmogorov continuity theorem and Holder norm

The Kolmogorov Continuity theorem (see for example the Wikipedia page) lets us prove that a stochastic process $X_t$ (on some complete metric space $(S,d)$) is Holder continuous almost surely provided ...
Gawin's user avatar
  • 175
2 votes
1 answer
305 views

A large noise limit

Let $f: [0, 1] \to \mathbb R$ be a bounded, continuous function, and $W$ a standard Brownian motion. Denote $Y := \int_0^1 f(t) \, dW_t$. For each $\varepsilon > 0$, consider the conditioned random ...
Nate River's user avatar
  • 6,155
2 votes
1 answer
361 views

Is $g(t)=\mathbb P[\inf_{0\le s\le t}X_s>0]$ differentiable with respect to $t$?

Consider the SDE $$dX_t =b(t)dt + a(t)dW_t,\quad \forall t>0,$$ with $X_0>0$ has a density function $\rho:\mathbb R_+\to\mathbb R_+$. Consider the probability $g(t):=\mathbb P[\inf_{0\le s\le t}...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
246 views

Does $X_t$ with $t>0$ admit a density?

$ \newcommand{\RR}{\mathbb{R}} \newcommand{\TT}{\mathbb{T}} \newcommand{\NN}{\mathbb{N}} \newcommand{\PP}{\mathbb{P}} \newcommand{\EE}{\mathbb{E}} \newcommand{\FF}{\mathbb{F}} \newcommand{\PPP}{\...
Akira's user avatar
  • 835
2 votes
0 answers
104 views

Stochastic stability of "open" continuous-time stochastic systems: reference request

I'm looking for results on the stability of stochastic systems, e.g. SDEs, whose coefficients depend on a different process that is not necessarily stable. I'm calling those systems "open" here, but ...
S.Surace's user avatar
  • 1,675
2 votes
1 answer
179 views

Solution of SDE with time power law singular diffusion

I was wondering if anything could be said at all about the well-psedness of the following time-inhomogeneous singular diffusion SDE: \begin{align}d X_t&=\sigma(X_t,t ) d W_t , \qquad t\geq 0, ...
Mr_3_7's user avatar
  • 135
1 vote
1 answer
93 views

On the marginal distributions of an absorbed diffusion

This question can be seen as a variant of the post Bounded density for diffusions with diffusion coefficients bounded away from $0$ by Iosif Pinelis. Namely, consider the diffusion $$X_t=\int_0^t a(s,...
GJC20's user avatar
  • 1,334
1 vote
2 answers
194 views

Continuity of the densities of a stochastic process

Let $X=(X_t)_{t\in I}$ ($I\subset\mathbb{R}$ an interval) be a stochastic process with continuous sample paths and such that $X_t$ admits a continuous Lebesgue density $\chi_t\in C(\mathbb{R}^d)$ for ...
fsp-b's user avatar
  • 463
1 vote
1 answer
143 views

Comparison of hitting probability of two Markov chains both with only one absorbing state version 2 under stronger condition

Let $N_n:=\{1,2,\cdots,n\}$. Given two finite states Markov chains $\big(X^{(j)}_i\in N_n\}\big)_{i=0}^\infty$ for $j\in\{1,2\}$, both of which have two absorbing states at $1$ and $n$. $\text{Pr}\...
Hans's user avatar
  • 2,239
0 votes
1 answer
244 views

Question on the limit of martingales

I am looking for the condition/criterion that yields the convergence of right-continuous martingales, motivated by the following question. For $M,N\ge 1$, set $I_M:=\{t_m\equiv m/M: 0\le m\le M\}$ ...
user avatar
40 votes
4 answers
4k views

Polynomials on the Unit Circle

I asked this question in math.stackexchange but I didn't have much luck. It might be more appropiate for this forum. Let $z_1,z_2,…,z_n$ be i.i.d random points on the unit circle ($|z_i|=1$) with ...
ght's user avatar
  • 3,626
33 votes
4 answers
9k views

A Markov process which is not a strong markov process?

Can anyone give an example of a Markov process which is not a strong Markov process? The Markov property and strong Markov property are typically introduced as distinct concepts (for example in ...
Simon Lyons's user avatar
  • 1,666
24 votes
2 answers
1k views

Drawing natural numbers without replacement.

Suppose we start with an initial probability distribution on $\mathbb{N}$ that gives positive probability to each $n$. Let's call this random variable $X_1$ so we have $P(X_1=n)=p_{1,n}>0$ for all $...
HMPanzo's user avatar
  • 551
23 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does a theory of stochastic differential algebras exist?

My question is motivated primarily by finance, where a non-technical student will learn how to approach SDEs using the symbolic manipulation of Itô calculus and the few basic rules of Brownian motion, ...
user85875's user avatar
  • 231
21 votes
3 answers
5k views

James-Stein phenomenon: What does it mean that a James-Stein estimator beats least squares estimator?

Background James-Stein estimator and Stein's phenomenon, as described in Wikipedia are rather counterintuitive and amazing. It is claimed that if one wants to estimate the mean $\Theta$ of Gaussian ...
Alexander Chervov's user avatar
21 votes
2 answers
3k views

How to optimally bet on a biased coin?

A number $p$ is drawn uniformly at random from $[0, 1]$. You are then given a biased coin that turns up heads with probability $p$, but the number $p$ is not known to you. You start with a total ...
Nate River's user avatar
  • 6,155
16 votes
6 answers
2k views

Optimal pebble-packing shape

Suppose you throw many ($n$) congruent convex bodies (in $\mathbb{R}^3$) of unit volume (or of unit area in $\mathbb{R}^2$) into a large container, and shake it until little else changes. Q. ...
Joseph O'Rourke's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
928 views

A simple stochastic game

An individual, henceforth called the runner starts at the center of an open two dimensional square $\Omega$ of side length $r \geq 2$. At each turn, a vector $x \in S^1$ is chosen uniformly at random, ...
Nate River's user avatar
  • 6,155
13 votes
4 answers
5k views

Gaussian processes, sample paths and associated Hilbert space.

Given a Gaussian process on some topological space $T$, with a continuous covariance kernel $C(\cdot,\cdot)\colon T\times T\to R$, we can associate a Hilbert space, which is the reproducing kernel ...
kjetil b halvorsen's user avatar
13 votes
1 answer
1k views

Mathematical construction of $\phi^4$ Euclidean field theory

One possible approach to constructive field theory is to define it on a lattice and take the scaling limit, and there are famous results stating that in $d\geq4$ this cannot lead to a non-trivial ...
PPR's user avatar
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