Continuous Time Markov Chains

Continuous time parameter Markov chains have been useful for modeling various random phenomena occurring in queueing theory, genetics, demography, epidemiology, and competing populations. This is the first book about those aspects of the theory of continuous time Markov chains which are useful in applications to such areas. It studies continuous time Markov chains through the transition function and corresponding q-matrix, rather than sample paths. An extensive discussion of birth and death processes, including the Stieltjes moment problem, and the Karlin-McGregor method of solution of the birth and death processes and multidimensional population processes is included, and there is an extensive bibliography. Virtually all of this material is appearing in book form for the first time.

This book gives a systematic treatment of singularly perturbed systems that naturally arise in control and optimization, queueing networks, manufacturing systems, and financial engineering. It presents results on asymptotic expansions of solutions of Komogorov forward and backward equations, properties of functional occupation measures, exponential upper bounds, and functional limit results for Markov chains with weak and strong interactions. To bridge the gap between theory and applications, a large portion of the book is devoted to applications in controlled dynamic systems, production planning, and numerical methods for controlled Markovian systems with large-scale and complex structures in the real-world problems. This second edition has been updated throughout and includes two new chapters on asymptotic expansions of solutions for backward equations and hybrid LQG problems. The chapters on analytic and probabilistic properties of two-time-scale Markov chains have been almost completely rewritten and the notation has been streamlined and simplified. This book is written for applied mathematicians, engineers, operations researchers, and applied scientists. Selected material from the book can also be used for a one semester advanced graduate-level course in applied probability and stochastic processes.

Markov processes are among the most important stochastic processes for both theory and applications. This book develops the general theory of these processes, and applies this theory to various special examples.

Primarily an introduction to the theory of stochastic processes at the undergraduate or beginning graduate level, the primary objective of this book is to initiate students in the art of stochastic modelling. However it is motivated by significant applications and progressively brings the student to the borders of contemporary research. Examples are from a wide range of domains, including operations research and electrical engineering. Researchers and students in these areas as well as in physics, biology and the social sciences will find this book of interest.

This book concerns continuous-time controlled Markov chains, also known as continuous-time Markov decision processes. They form a class of stochastic control problems in which a single decision-maker wishes to optimize a given objective function. This book is also concerned with Markov games, where two decision-makers (or players) try to optimize their own objective function. Both decision-making processes appear in a large number of applications in economics, operations research, engineering, and computer science, among other areas. An extensive, self-contained, up-to-date analysis of basic optimality criteria (such as discounted and average reward), and advanced optimality criteria (e.g., bias, overtaking, sensitive discount, and Blackwell optimality) is presented. A particular emphasis is made on the application of the results herein: algorithmic and computational issues are discussed, and applications to population models and epidemic processes are shown. This book is addressed to students and researchers in the fields of stochastic control and stochastic games. Moreover, it could be of interest also to undergraduate and beginning graduate students because the reader is not supposed to have a high mathematical background: a working knowledge of calculus, linear algebra, probability, and continuous-time Markov chains should suffice to understand the contents of the book. Contents:IntroductionControlled Markov ChainsBasic Optimality CriteriaPolicy Iteration and Approximation TheoremsOvertaking, Bias, and Variance OptimalitySensitive Discount OptimalityBlackwell OptimalityConstrained Controlled Markov ChainsApplicationsZero-Sum Markov GamesBias and Overtaking Equilibria for Markov Games Readership: Graduate students and researchers in the fields of stochastic control and stochastic analysis. Keywords:Markov Decision Processes;Continuous-Time Controlled Markov Chains;Stochastic Dynamic Programming;Stochastic GamesKey Features:This book presents a reader-friendly, extensive, self-contained, and up-to-date analysis of advanced optimality criteria for continuous-time controlled Markov chains and Markov games. Most of the material herein is quite recent (it has been published in high-impact journals during the last five years) and it appears in book form for the first timeThis book introduces approximation theorems which, in particular, allow the reader to obtain numerical approximations of the solution to several control problems of practical interest. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such computational issues are studied for denumerable state continuous-time controlled Markov chains. Hence, the book has an adequate balance between, on the one hand, theoretical results and, on the other hand, applications and computational issuesThe books that analyze continuous-time controlled Markov chains usually restrict themselves to the case of bounded transition and reward rates, which can be reduced to discrete-time models by using the uniformization technique. In our case, however, the transition and the reward rates might be unbounded, and so the uniformization technique cannot be used. By the way, let us mention that in models of practical interest the transition and the reward rates are, typically, unboundedReviews:“The book contains a large number of recent research results on CMCs and Markov games and puts them in perspective. It is written in a very conscious manner, contains detailed proofs of all main results, as well as extensive bibliographic remarks. The book is a very valuable piece of work for researchers on continuous-time CMCs and Markov games.”Zentralblatt MATH

Continuous-time Markov decision processes (MDPs), also known as controlled Markov chains, are used for modeling decision-making problems that arise in operations research (for instance, inventory, manufacturing, and queueing systems), computer science, communications engineering, control of populations (such as fisheries and epidemics), and management science, among many other fields. This volume provides a unified, systematic, self-contained presentation of recent developments on the theory and applications of continuous-time MDPs. The MDPs in this volume include most of the cases that arise in applications, because they allow unbounded transition and reward/cost rates. Much of the material appears for the first time in book form.

This book provides an undergraduate-level introduction to discrete and continuous-time Markov chains and their applications, with a particular focus on the first step analysis technique and its applications to average hitting times and ruin probabilities. It also discusses classical topics such as recurrence and transience, stationary and limiting distributions, as well as branching processes. It first examines in detail two important examples (gambling processes and random walks) before presenting the general theory itself in the subsequent chapters. It also provides an introduction to discrete-time martingales and their relation to ruin probabilities and mean exit times, together with a chapter on spatial Poisson processes. The concepts presented are illustrated by examples, 138 exercises and 9 problems with their solutions.

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