Search results for "Stochastic process"
showing 10 items of 346 documents
Ancestral processes in population genetics-the coalescent.
2000
A special stochastic process, called the coalescent, is of fundamental interest in population genetics. For a large class of population models this process is the appropriate tool to analyse the ancestral structure of a sample of n individuals or genes, if the total number of individuals in the population is sufficiently large. A corresponding convergence theorem was first proved by Kingman in 1982 for the Wright-Fisher model and the Moran model. Generalizations to a large class of exchangeable population models and to models with overlying mutation processes followed shortly later. One speaks of the "robustness of the coalescent, as this process appears in many models as the total populati…
On an approximation problem for stochastic integrals where random time nets do not help
2006
Abstract Given a geometric Brownian motion S = ( S t ) t ∈ [ 0 , T ] and a Borel measurable function g : ( 0 , ∞ ) → R such that g ( S T ) ∈ L 2 , we approximate g ( S T ) - E g ( S T ) by ∑ i = 1 n v i - 1 ( S τ i - S τ i - 1 ) where 0 = τ 0 ⩽ ⋯ ⩽ τ n = T is an increasing sequence of stopping times and the v i - 1 are F τ i - 1 -measurable random variables such that E v i - 1 2 ( S τ i - S τ i - 1 ) 2 ∞ ( ( F t ) t ∈ [ 0 , T ] is the augmentation of the natural filtration of the underlying Brownian motion). In case that g is not almost surely linear, we show that one gets a lower bound for the L 2 -approximation rate of 1 / n if one optimizes over all nets consisting of n + 1 stopping time…
Volatility in Financial Markets: Stochastic Models and Empirical Results
2002
We investigate the historical volatility of the 100 most capitalized stocks traded in US equity markets. An empirical probability density function (pdf) of volatility is obtained and compared with the theoretical predictions of a lognormal model and of the Hull and White model. The lognormal model well describes the pdf in the region of low values of volatility whereas the Hull and White model better approximates the empirical pdf for large values of volatility. Both models fails in describing the empirical pdf over a moderately large volatility range.
Heavy-tailed targets and (ab)normal asymptotics in diffusive motion
2010
We investigate temporal behavior of probability density functions (pdfs) of paradigmatic jump-type and continuous processes that, under confining regimes, share common heavy-tailed asymptotic (target) pdfs. Namely, we have shown that under suitable confinement conditions, the ordinary Fokker-Planck equation may generate non-Gaussian heavy-tailed pdfs (like e.g. Cauchy or more general L\'evy stable distribution) in its long time asymptotics. For diffusion-type processes, our main focus is on their transient regimes and specifically the crossover features, when initially infinite number of the pdf moments drops down to a few or none at all. The time-dependence of the variance (if in existence…
A new stochastic representation for the decay from a metastable state
2002
Abstract We show that a stochastic process on a complex plane can simulate decay from a metastable state. The simplest application of the method to a model in which the approach to equilibrium occurs through transitions over a potential barrier is discussed. The results are compared with direct numerical simulations of the stochastic differential equations describing system's evolution. We have found that the new method is much more efficient from computational point of view than the direct simulations.
On the relationship between the reversed hazard rate and elasticity
2012
Despite hazard and reversed hazard rates sharing a number of similar aspects, reversed hazard functions are far less frequently used. Understanding their meaning is not a simple task. The aim of this paper is to expand the usefulness of the reversed hazard function by relating it to other well-known concepts broadly used in economics: (linear or cumulative) rates of increase and elasticity. This will make it possible (i) to improve our understanding of the consequences of using a particular distribution and, in certain cases, (ii) to introduce our hypotheses and knowledge about the random process in a more meaningful and intuitive way, thus providing a means to achieving distributions that …
Misinterpretation risks of global stochastic optimisation of kinetic models revealed by multiple optimisation runs
2016
Abstract One of use cases for metabolic network optimisation of biotechnologically applied microorganisms is the in silico design of new strains with an improved distribution of metabolic fluxes. Global stochastic optimisation methods (genetic algorithms, evolutionary programing, particle swarm and others) can optimise complicated nonlinear kinetic models and are friendly for unexperienced user: they can return optimisation results with default method settings (population size, number of generations and others) and without adaptation of the model. Drawbacks of these methods (stochastic behaviour, undefined duration of optimisation, possible stagnation and no guaranty of reaching optima) cau…
Understanding the determinants of volatility clustering in terms of stationary Markovian processes
2016
Abstract Volatility is a key variable in the modeling of financial markets. The most striking feature of volatility is that it is a long-range correlated stochastic variable, i.e. its autocorrelation function decays like a power-law τ − β for large time lags. In the present work we investigate the determinants of such feature, starting from the empirical observation that the exponent β of a certain stock’s volatility is a linear function of the average correlation of such stock’s volatility with all other volatilities. We propose a simple approach consisting in diagonalizing the cross-correlation matrix of volatilities and investigating whether or not the diagonalized volatilities still kee…
Role of the noise on the transient dynamics of an ecosystem of interacting species
2002
Abstract We analyze the transient dynamics of an ecosystem described by generalized Lotka–Volterra equations in the presence of a multiplicative noise and a random interaction parameter between the species. We consider specifically three cases: (i) two competing species, (ii) three interacting species (one predator–two preys), (iii) n-interacting species. The interaction parameter in case (i) is a stochastic process which obeys a stochastic differential equation. We find noise delayed extinction of one of two species, which is akin to the noise-enhanced stability phenomenon. Other two noise-induced effects found are temporal oscillations and spatial patterns of the two competing species. In…
Spatio-temporal patterns in population dynamics
2002
Abstract The transient dynamics of interacting biological species extracted from two ecosystems is investigated. We model the environment interaction by a multiplicative noise and the temperature oscillations by a periodic forcing. We find noise-induced effects such as enhanced temporal oscillations, spatial patterns and noise delayed extinction for the model of two competing species. We extend our analysis to an ecosystem of three interacting species, namely one predator and two preys. We find spatial patterns induced by the noise.