Approximating Countable Markov Chains
Approximating Countable Markov Chains

Author: David Freedman

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 150

ISBN-13: 1461382300

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A long time ago I started writing a book about Markov chains, Brownian motion, and diffusion. I soon had two hundred pages of manuscript and my publisher was enthusiastic. Some years and several drafts later, I had a thousand pages of manuscript, and my publisher was less enthusiastic. So we made it a trilogy: Markov Chains Brownian Motion and Diffusion Approximating Countable Markov Chains familiarly - MC, B & D, and ACM. I wrote the first two books for beginning graduate students with some knowledge of probability; if you can follow Sections 10.4 to 10.9 of Markov Chains, you're in. The first two books are quite independent of one another, and completely independent of this one, which is a monograph explaining one way to think about chains with instantaneous states. The results here are supposed to be new, except when there are specific disclaimers. It's written in the framework of Markov chains; we wanted to reprint in this volume the MC chapters needed for reference. but this proved impossible. Most of the proofs in the trilogy are new, and I tried hard to make them explicit. The old ones were often elegant, but I seldom saw what made them go. With my own, I can sometimes show you why things work. And, as I will argue in a minute, my demonstrations are easier technically. If I wrote them down well enough, you may come to agree.

Handbook of Markov Decision Processes
Handbook of Markov Decision Processes

Author: Eugene A. Feinberg

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 560

ISBN-13: 1461508053

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Eugene A. Feinberg Adam Shwartz This volume deals with the theory of Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) and their applications. Each chapter was written by a leading expert in the re spective area. The papers cover major research areas and methodologies, and discuss open questions and future research directions. The papers can be read independently, with the basic notation and concepts ofSection 1.2. Most chap ters should be accessible by graduate or advanced undergraduate students in fields of operations research, electrical engineering, and computer science. 1.1 AN OVERVIEW OF MARKOV DECISION PROCESSES The theory of Markov Decision Processes-also known under several other names including sequential stochastic optimization, discrete-time stochastic control, and stochastic dynamic programming-studiessequential optimization ofdiscrete time stochastic systems. The basic object is a discrete-time stochas tic system whose transition mechanism can be controlled over time. Each control policy defines the stochastic process and values of objective functions associated with this process. The goal is to select a "good" control policy. In real life, decisions that humans and computers make on all levels usually have two types ofimpacts: (i) they cost orsavetime, money, or other resources, or they bring revenues, as well as (ii) they have an impact on the future, by influencing the dynamics. In many situations, decisions with the largest immediate profit may not be good in view offuture events. MDPs model this paradigm and provide results on the structure and existence of good policies and on methods for their calculation.

Markov Chains
Markov Chains

Author: David Freedman

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 1461255007

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A long time ago I started writing a book about Markov chains, Brownian motion, and diffusion. I soon had two hundred pages of manuscript and my publisher was enthusiastic. Some years and several drafts later, I had a thousand pages of manuscript, and my publisher was less enthusiastic. So we made it a trilogy: Markov Chains Brownian Motion and Diffusion Approximating Countable Markov Chains familiarly - MC, B & D, and ACM. I wrote the first two books for beginning graduate students with some knowledge of probability; if you can follow Sections 10.4 to 10.9 of Markov Chains you're in. The first two books are quite independent of one another, and completely independent of the third. This last book is a monograph which explains one way to think about chains with instantaneous states. The results in it are supposed to be new, except where there are specific disclaim ers; it's written in the framework of Markov Chains. Most of the proofs in the trilogy are new, and I tried hard to make them explicit. The old ones were often elegant, but I seldom saw what made them go. With my own, I can sometimes show you why things work. And, as I will VB1 PREFACE argue in a minute, my demonstrations are easier technically. If I wrote them down well enough, you may come to agree.

Markov Chains and Stochastic Stability
Markov Chains and Stochastic Stability

Author: Sean Meyn

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2009-04-02

Total Pages: 623

ISBN-13: 0521731828

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

New up-to-date edition of this influential classic on Markov chains in general state spaces. Proofs are rigorous and concise, the range of applications is broad and knowledgeable, and key ideas are accessible to practitioners with limited mathematical background. New commentary by Sean Meyn, including updated references, reflects developments since 1996.

Markov Chains and Invariant Probabilities
Markov Chains and Invariant Probabilities

Author: Onésimo Hernández-Lerma

Publisher: Birkhäuser

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 3034880243

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book is about discrete-time, time-homogeneous, Markov chains (Mes) and their ergodic behavior. To this end, most of the material is in fact about stable Mes, by which we mean Mes that admit an invariant probability measure. To state this more precisely and give an overview of the questions we shall be dealing with, we will first introduce some notation and terminology. Let (X,B) be a measurable space, and consider a X-valued Markov chain ~. = {~k' k = 0, 1, ... } with transition probability function (t.pJ.) P(x, B), i.e., P(x, B) := Prob (~k+1 E B I ~k = x) for each x E X, B E B, and k = 0,1, .... The Me ~. is said to be stable if there exists a probability measure (p.m.) /.l on B such that (*) VB EB. /.l(B) = Ix /.l(dx) P(x, B) If (*) holds then /.l is called an invariant p.m. for the Me ~. (or the t.p.f. P).

Introduction to Probability Models
Introduction to Probability Models

Author: Sheldon M. Ross

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2006-12-11

Total Pages: 801

ISBN-13: 0123756871

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Introduction to Probability Models, Tenth Edition, provides an introduction to elementary probability theory and stochastic processes. There are two approaches to the study of probability theory. One is heuristic and nonrigorous, and attempts to develop in students an intuitive feel for the subject that enables him or her to think probabilistically. The other approach attempts a rigorous development of probability by using the tools of measure theory. The first approach is employed in this text. The book begins by introducing basic concepts of probability theory, such as the random variable, conditional probability, and conditional expectation. This is followed by discussions of stochastic processes, including Markov chains and Poison processes. The remaining chapters cover queuing, reliability theory, Brownian motion, and simulation. Many examples are worked out throughout the text, along with exercises to be solved by students. This book will be particularly useful to those interested in learning how probability theory can be applied to the study of phenomena in fields such as engineering, computer science, management science, the physical and social sciences, and operations research. Ideally, this text would be used in a one-year course in probability models, or a one-semester course in introductory probability theory or a course in elementary stochastic processes. New to this Edition: - 65% new chapter material including coverage of finite capacity queues, insurance risk models and Markov chains - Contains compulsory material for new Exam 3 of the Society of Actuaries containing several sections in the new exams - Updated data, and a list of commonly used notations and equations, a robust ancillary package, including a ISM, SSM, and test bank - Includes SPSS PASW Modeler and SAS JMP software packages which are widely used in the field Hallmark features: - Superior writing style - Excellent exercises and examples covering the wide breadth of coverage of probability topics - Real-world applications in engineering, science, business and economics

Essentials of Stochastic Processes
Essentials of Stochastic Processes

Author: Richard Durrett

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-11-07

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 3319456148

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Building upon the previous editions, this textbook is a first course in stochastic processes taken by undergraduate and graduate students (MS and PhD students from math, statistics, economics, computer science, engineering, and finance departments) who have had a course in probability theory. It covers Markov chains in discrete and continuous time, Poisson processes, renewal processes, martingales, and option pricing. One can only learn a subject by seeing it in action, so there are a large number of examples and more than 300 carefully chosen exercises to deepen the reader’s understanding. Drawing from teaching experience and student feedback, there are many new examples and problems with solutions that use TI-83 to eliminate the tedious details of solving linear equations by hand, and the collection of exercises is much improved, with many more biological examples. Originally included in previous editions, material too advanced for this first course in stochastic processes has been eliminated while treatment of other topics useful for applications has been expanded. In addition, the ordering of topics has been improved; for example, the difficult subject of martingales is delayed until its usefulness can be applied in the treatment of mathematical finance.

Markov Processes and Controlled Markov Chains
Markov Processes and Controlled Markov Chains

Author: Zhenting Hou

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-12-01

Total Pages: 501

ISBN-13: 146130265X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The general theory of stochastic processes and the more specialized theory of Markov processes evolved enormously in the second half of the last century. In parallel, the theory of controlled Markov chains (or Markov decision processes) was being pioneered by control engineers and operations researchers. Researchers in Markov processes and controlled Markov chains have been, for a long time, aware of the synergies between these two subject areas. However, this may be the first volume dedicated to highlighting these synergies and, almost certainly, it is the first volume that emphasizes the contributions of the vibrant and growing Chinese school of probability. The chapters that appear in this book reflect both the maturity and the vitality of modern day Markov processes and controlled Markov chains. They also will provide an opportunity to trace the connections that have emerged between the work done by members of the Chinese school of probability and the work done by the European, US, Central and South American and Asian scholars.

Markov Chains
Markov Chains

Author: Kai Lai Chung

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 3642620159

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

From the reviews: J. Neveu, 1962 in Zentralblatt fr Mathematik, 92. Band Heft 2, p. 343: "Ce livre crit par l'un des plus minents spcialistes en la matire, est un expos trs dtaill de la thorie des processus de Markov dfinis sur un espace dnombrable d'tats et homognes dans le temps (chaines stationnaires de Markov)." N. Jain, 2008 in Selected Works of Kai Lai Chung, edited by Farid AitSahlia (University of Florida, USA), Elton Hsu (Northwestern University, USA), & Ruth Williams (University of California-San Diego, USA), Chapter 1, p. 15: "This monograph deals with countable state Markov chains in both discrete time (Part I) and continuous time (Part II). ... Much of Kai Lai's fundamental work in the field is included in this monograph. Here, for the first time, Kai Lai gave a systematic exposition of the subject which includes classification of states, ratio ergodic theorems, and limit theorems for functionals of the chain."

Introduction to the Numerical Solution of Markov Chains
Introduction to the Numerical Solution of Markov Chains

Author: William J. Stewart

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 1994-12-04

Total Pages: 561

ISBN-13: 0691036993

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Markov Chains -- Direct Methods -- Iterative Methods -- Projection Methods -- Block Hessenberg Matrices -- Decompositional Methods -- LI-Cyclic Markov -- Chains -- Transient Solutions -- Stochastic Automata Networks -- Software.