Elements of the Random Walk

Elements of the Random Walk
Author: Joseph Rudnick
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2004-03-04
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781139450140

Random walks have proven to be a useful model in understanding processes across a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines. Elements of the Random Walk is an introduction to some of the most powerful and general techniques used in the application of these ideas. The mathematical construct that runs through the analysis of the topics covered in this book, unifying the mathematical treatment, is the generating function. Although the reader is introduced to analytical tools, such as path-integrals and field-theoretical formalism, the book is self-contained in that basic concepts are developed and relevant fundamental findings fully discussed. Mathematical background is provided in supplements at the end of each chapter, when appropriate. This text will appeal to graduate students across science, engineering and mathematics who need to understand the applications of random walk techniques, as well as to established researchers.

Elements of Random Walk and Diffusion Processes

Elements of Random Walk and Diffusion Processes
Author: Oliver C. Ibe
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2013-08-29
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1118617932

Presents an important and unique introduction to random walk theory Random walk is a stochastic process that has proven to be a useful model in understanding discrete-state discrete-time processes across a wide spectrum of scientific disciplines. Elements of Random Walk and Diffusion Processes provides an interdisciplinary approach by including numerous practical examples and exercises with real-world applications in operations research, economics, engineering, and physics. Featuring an introduction to powerful and general techniques that are used in the application of physical and dynamic processes, the book presents the connections between diffusion equations and random motion. Standard methods and applications of Brownian motion are addressed in addition to Levy motion, which has become popular in random searches in a variety of fields. The book also covers fractional calculus and introduces percolation theory and its relationship to diffusion processes. With a strong emphasis on the relationship between random walk theory and diffusion processes, Elements of Random Walk and Diffusion Processes features: Basic concepts in probability, an overview of stochastic and fractional processes, and elements of graph theory Numerous practical applications of random walk across various disciplines, including how to model stock prices and gambling, describe the statistical properties of genetic drift, and simplify the random movement of molecules in liquids and gases Examples of the real-world applicability of random walk such as node movement and node failure in wireless networking, the size of the Web in computer science, and polymers in physics Plentiful examples and exercises throughout that illustrate the solution of many practical problems Elements of Random Walk and Diffusion Processes is an ideal reference for researchers and professionals involved in operations research, economics, engineering, mathematics, and physics. The book is also an excellent textbook for upper-undergraduate and graduate level courses in probability and stochastic processes, stochastic models, random motion and Brownian theory, random walk theory, and diffusion process techniques.

Random Walk: A Modern Introduction

Random Walk: A Modern Introduction
Author: Gregory F. Lawler
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2010-06-24
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9780521519182

Random walks are stochastic processes formed by successive summation of independent, identically distributed random variables and are one of the most studied topics in probability theory. This contemporary introduction evolved from courses taught at Cornell University and the University of Chicago by the first author, who is one of the most highly regarded researchers in the field of stochastic processes. This text meets the need for a modern reference to the detailed properties of an important class of random walks on the integer lattice. It is suitable for probabilists, mathematicians working in related fields, and for researchers in other disciplines who use random walks in modeling.

Random Walks on Reductive Groups

Random Walks on Reductive Groups
Author: Yves Benoist
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 319
Release: 2016-10-20
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 3319477218

The classical theory of random walks describes the asymptotic behavior of sums of independent identically distributed random real variables. This book explains the generalization of this theory to products of independent identically distributed random matrices with real coefficients. Under the assumption that the action of the matrices is semisimple – or, equivalently, that the Zariski closure of the group generated by these matrices is reductive - and under suitable moment assumptions, it is shown that the norm of the products of such random matrices satisfies a number of classical probabilistic laws. This book includes necessary background on the theory of reductive algebraic groups, probability theory and operator theory, thereby providing a modern introduction to the topic.

Random Walks on Infinite Graphs and Groups

Random Walks on Infinite Graphs and Groups
Author: Wolfgang Woess
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 350
Release: 2000-02-13
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0521552923

The main theme of this book is the interplay between the behaviour of a class of stochastic processes (random walks) and discrete structure theory. The author considers Markov chains whose state space is equipped with the structure of an infinite, locally finite graph, or as a particular case, of a finitely generated group. The transition probabilities are assumed to be adapted to the underlying structure in some way that must be specified precisely in each case. From the probabilistic viewpoint, the question is what impact the particular type of structure has on various aspects of the behaviour of the random walk. Vice-versa, random walks may also be seen as useful tools for classifying, or at least describing the structure of graphs and groups. Links with spectral theory and discrete potential theory are also discussed. This book will be essential reading for all researchers working in stochastic process and related topics.

Random Walks and Electric Networks

Random Walks and Electric Networks
Author: Peter G. Doyle
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
Total Pages: 174
Release: 1984-12-31
Genre: Electric network topology
ISBN: 1614440220

Probability theory, like much of mathematics, is indebted to physics as a source of problems and intuition for solving these problems. Unfortunately, the level of abstraction of current mathematics often makes it difficult for anyone but an expert to appreciate this fact. Random Walks and electric networks looks at the interplay of physics and mathematics in terms of an example—the relation between elementary electric network theory and random walks —where the mathematics involved is at the college level.

Random Walk and the Heat Equation

Random Walk and the Heat Equation
Author: Gregory F. Lawler
Publisher: American Mathematical Soc.
Total Pages: 170
Release: 2010-11-22
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0821848291

The heat equation can be derived by averaging over a very large number of particles. Traditionally, the resulting PDE is studied as a deterministic equation, an approach that has brought many significant results and a deep understanding of the equation and its solutions. By studying the heat equation and considering the individual random particles, however, one gains further intuition into the problem. While this is now standard for many researchers, this approach is generally not presented at the undergraduate level. In this book, Lawler introduces the heat equations and the closely related notion of harmonic functions from a probabilistic perspective. The theme of the first two chapters of the book is the relationship between random walks and the heat equation. This first chapter discusses the discrete case, random walk and the heat equation on the integer lattice; and the second chapter discusses the continuous case, Brownian motion and the usual heat equation. Relationships are shown between the two. For example, solving the heat equation in the discrete setting becomes a problem of diagonalization of symmetric matrices, which becomes a problem in Fourier series in the continuous case. Random walk and Brownian motion are introduced and developed from first principles. The latter two chapters discuss different topics: martingales and fractal dimension, with the chapters tied together by one example, a random Cantor set. The idea of this book is to merge probabilistic and deterministic approaches to heat flow. It is also intended as a bridge from undergraduate analysis to graduate and research perspectives. The book is suitable for advanced undergraduates, particularly those considering graduate work in mathematics or related areas.

Asymptotic Analysis of Random Walks

Asymptotic Analysis of Random Walks
Author: A. A. Borovkov
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 437
Release: 2020-10-29
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1108901204

This is a companion book to Asymptotic Analysis of Random Walks: Heavy-Tailed Distributions by A.A. Borovkov and K.A. Borovkov. Its self-contained systematic exposition provides a highly useful resource for academic researchers and professionals interested in applications of probability in statistics, ruin theory, and queuing theory. The large deviation principle for random walks was first established by the author in 1967, under the restrictive condition that the distribution tails decay faster than exponentially. (A close assertion was proved by S.R.S. Varadhan in 1966, but only in a rather special case.) Since then, the principle has always been treated in the literature only under this condition. Recently, the author jointly with A.A. Mogul'skii removed this restriction, finding a natural metric for which the large deviation principle for random walks holds without any conditions. This new version is presented in the book, as well as a new approach to studying large deviations in boundary crossing problems. Many results presented in the book, obtained by the author himself or jointly with co-authors, are appearing in a monograph for the first time.