Stochastic Control Theory

Stochastic Control Theory
Author: Makiko Nisio
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 263
Release: 2014-11-27
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 4431551239

This book offers a systematic introduction to the optimal stochastic control theory via the dynamic programming principle, which is a powerful tool to analyze control problems. First we consider completely observable control problems with finite horizons. Using a time discretization we construct a nonlinear semigroup related to the dynamic programming principle (DPP), whose generator provides the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation, and we characterize the value function via the nonlinear semigroup, besides the viscosity solution theory. When we control not only the dynamics of a system but also the terminal time of its evolution, control-stopping problems arise. This problem is treated in the same frameworks, via the nonlinear semigroup. Its results are applicable to the American option price problem. Zero-sum two-player time-homogeneous stochastic differential games and viscosity solutions of the Isaacs equations arising from such games are studied via a nonlinear semigroup related to DPP (the min-max principle, to be precise). Using semi-discretization arguments, we construct the nonlinear semigroups whose generators provide lower and upper Isaacs equations. Concerning partially observable control problems, we refer to stochastic parabolic equations driven by colored Wiener noises, in particular, the Zakai equation. The existence and uniqueness of solutions and regularities as well as Itô's formula are stated. A control problem for the Zakai equations has a nonlinear semigroup whose generator provides the HJB equation on a Banach space. The value function turns out to be a unique viscosity solution for the HJB equation under mild conditions. This edition provides a more generalized treatment of the topic than does the earlier book Lectures on Stochastic Control Theory (ISI Lecture Notes 9), where time-homogeneous cases are dealt with. Here, for finite time-horizon control problems, DPP was formulated as a one-parameter nonlinear semigroup, whose generator provides the HJB equation, by using a time-discretization method. The semigroup corresponds to the value function and is characterized as the envelope of Markovian transition semigroups of responses for constant control processes. Besides finite time-horizon controls, the book discusses control-stopping problems in the same frameworks.

Dynamic Programming and Optimal Control

Dynamic Programming and Optimal Control
Author: Dimitri P. Bertsekas
Publisher:
Total Pages: 543
Release: 2005
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9781886529267

"The leading and most up-to-date textbook on the far-ranging algorithmic methododogy of Dynamic Programming, which can be used for optimal control, Markovian decision problems, planning and sequential decision making under uncertainty, and discrete/combinatorial optimization. The treatment focuses on basic unifying themes, and conceptual foundations. It illustrates the versatility, power, and generality of the method with many examples and applications from engineering, operations research, and other fields. It also addresses extensively the practical application of the methodology, possibly through the use of approximations, and provides an extensive treatment of the far-reaching methodology of Neuro-Dynamic Programming/Reinforcement Learning. The first volume is oriented towards modeling, conceptualization, and finite-horizon problems, but also includes a substantive introduction to infinite horizon problems that is suitable for classroom use. The second volume is oriented towards mathematical analysis and computation, treats infinite horizon problems extensively, and provides an up-to-date account of approximate large-scale dynamic programming and reinforcement learning. The text contains many illustrations, worked-out examples, and exercises."--Publisher's website.

Stochastic Dynamic Programming and the Control of Queueing Systems

Stochastic Dynamic Programming and the Control of Queueing Systems
Author: Linn I. Sennott
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 360
Release: 1998-09-30
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9780471161202

Eine Zusammenstellung der Grundlagen der stochastischen dynamischen Programmierung (auch als Markov-Entscheidungsprozeß oder Markov-Ketten bekannt), deren Schwerpunkt auf der Anwendung der Queueing-Theorie liegt. Theoretische und programmtechnische Aspekte werden sinnvoll verknüpft; insgesamt neun numerische Programme zur Queueing-Steuerung werden im Text ausführlich diskutiert. Ergänzendes Material kann vom zugehörigen ftp-Server abgerufen werden. (12/98)

Stochastic Optimal Control in Infinite Dimension

Stochastic Optimal Control in Infinite Dimension
Author: Giorgio Fabbri
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 928
Release: 2017-06-22
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 3319530674

Providing an introduction to stochastic optimal control in infinite dimension, this book gives a complete account of the theory of second-order HJB equations in infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces, focusing on its applicability to associated stochastic optimal control problems. It features a general introduction to optimal stochastic control, including basic results (e.g. the dynamic programming principle) with proofs, and provides examples of applications. A complete and up-to-date exposition of the existing theory of viscosity solutions and regular solutions of second-order HJB equations in Hilbert spaces is given, together with an extensive survey of other methods, with a full bibliography. In particular, Chapter 6, written by M. Fuhrman and G. Tessitore, surveys the theory of regular solutions of HJB equations arising in infinite-dimensional stochastic control, via BSDEs. The book is of interest to both pure and applied researchers working in the control theory of stochastic PDEs, and in PDEs in infinite dimension. Readers from other fields who want to learn the basic theory will also find it useful. The prerequisites are: standard functional analysis, the theory of semigroups of operators and its use in the study of PDEs, some knowledge of the dynamic programming approach to stochastic optimal control problems in finite dimension, and the basics of stochastic analysis and stochastic equations in infinite-dimensional spaces.

Optimal Stochastic Control, Stochastic Target Problems, and Backward SDE

Optimal Stochastic Control, Stochastic Target Problems, and Backward SDE
Author: Nizar Touzi
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 219
Release: 2012-09-25
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1461442869

This book collects some recent developments in stochastic control theory with applications to financial mathematics. We first address standard stochastic control problems from the viewpoint of the recently developed weak dynamic programming principle. A special emphasis is put on the regularity issues and, in particular, on the behavior of the value function near the boundary. We then provide a quick review of the main tools from viscosity solutions which allow to overcome all regularity problems. We next address the class of stochastic target problems which extends in a nontrivial way the standard stochastic control problems. Here the theory of viscosity solutions plays a crucial role in the derivation of the dynamic programming equation as the infinitesimal counterpart of the corresponding geometric dynamic programming equation. The various developments of this theory have been stimulated by applications in finance and by relevant connections with geometric flows. Namely, the second order extension was motivated by illiquidity modeling, and the controlled loss version was introduced following the problem of quantile hedging. The third part specializes to an overview of Backward stochastic differential equations, and their extensions to the quadratic case.​

Stochastic Controls

Stochastic Controls
Author: Jiongmin Yong
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 459
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1461214661

As is well known, Pontryagin's maximum principle and Bellman's dynamic programming are the two principal and most commonly used approaches in solving stochastic optimal control problems. * An interesting phenomenon one can observe from the literature is that these two approaches have been developed separately and independently. Since both methods are used to investigate the same problems, a natural question one will ask is the fol lowing: (Q) What is the relationship betwccn the maximum principlc and dy namic programming in stochastic optimal controls? There did exist some researches (prior to the 1980s) on the relationship between these two. Nevertheless, the results usually werestated in heuristic terms and proved under rather restrictive assumptions, which were not satisfied in most cases. In the statement of a Pontryagin-type maximum principle there is an adjoint equation, which is an ordinary differential equation (ODE) in the (finite-dimensional) deterministic case and a stochastic differential equation (SDE) in the stochastic case. The system consisting of the adjoint equa tion, the original state equation, and the maximum condition is referred to as an (extended) Hamiltonian system. On the other hand, in Bellman's dynamic programming, there is a partial differential equation (PDE), of first order in the (finite-dimensional) deterministic case and of second or der in the stochastic case. This is known as a Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation.

Stochastic Control in Discrete and Continuous Time

Stochastic Control in Discrete and Continuous Time
Author: Atle Seierstad
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 299
Release: 2008-11-11
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0387766162

This book contains an introduction to three topics in stochastic control: discrete time stochastic control, i. e. , stochastic dynamic programming (Chapter 1), piecewise - terministic control problems (Chapter 3), and control of Ito diffusions (Chapter 4). The chapters include treatments of optimal stopping problems. An Appendix - calls material from elementary probability theory and gives heuristic explanations of certain more advanced tools in probability theory. The book will hopefully be of interest to students in several ?elds: economics, engineering, operations research, ?nance, business, mathematics. In economics and business administration, graduate students should readily be able to read it, and the mathematical level can be suitable for advanced undergraduates in mathem- ics and science. The prerequisites for reading the book are only a calculus course and a course in elementary probability. (Certain technical comments may demand a slightly better background. ) As this book perhaps (and hopefully) will be read by readers with widely diff- ing backgrounds, some general advice may be useful: Don’t be put off if paragraphs, comments, or remarks contain material of a seemingly more technical nature that you don’t understand. Just skip such material and continue reading, it will surely not be needed in order to understand the main ideas and results. The presentation avoids the use of measure theory.

Continuous-time Stochastic Control and Optimization with Financial Applications

Continuous-time Stochastic Control and Optimization with Financial Applications
Author: Huyên Pham
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2009-05-28
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 3540895000

Stochastic optimization problems arise in decision-making problems under uncertainty, and find various applications in economics and finance. On the other hand, problems in finance have recently led to new developments in the theory of stochastic control. This volume provides a systematic treatment of stochastic optimization problems applied to finance by presenting the different existing methods: dynamic programming, viscosity solutions, backward stochastic differential equations, and martingale duality methods. The theory is discussed in the context of recent developments in this field, with complete and detailed proofs, and is illustrated by means of concrete examples from the world of finance: portfolio allocation, option hedging, real options, optimal investment, etc. This book is directed towards graduate students and researchers in mathematical finance, and will also benefit applied mathematicians interested in financial applications and practitioners wishing to know more about the use of stochastic optimization methods in finance.

Controlled Markov Processes and Viscosity Solutions

Controlled Markov Processes and Viscosity Solutions
Author: Wendell H. Fleming
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 436
Release: 2006-02-04
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 0387310711

This book is an introduction to optimal stochastic control for continuous time Markov processes and the theory of viscosity solutions. It covers dynamic programming for deterministic optimal control problems, as well as to the corresponding theory of viscosity solutions. New chapters in this second edition introduce the role of stochastic optimal control in portfolio optimization and in pricing derivatives in incomplete markets and two-controller, zero-sum differential games.

Dynamic Management Decision And Stochastic Control Processes

Dynamic Management Decision And Stochastic Control Processes
Author: Toshio Odanaka
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 236
Release: 1990-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9814507121

This book treats stochastic control theory and its applications in management. The main numerical techniques necessary for such applications are presented. Several advanced topics leading to optimal processes are dismissed. The book also considers the theory of some stochastic control processes and several applications to illustrate the ideas.