Doubly Stochastic Poisson Processes

This book uses a distinctly applied framework to present the most important topics in stochastic processes, including Gaussian and Markovian processes, Markov Chains, Poisson processes, Brownian motion and queueing theory. The book also examines in detail special diffusion processes, with implications for finance, various generalizations of Poisson processes, and renewal processes. It contains numerous examples and approximately 350 advanced problems that reinforce both concepts and applications. Entertaining mini-biographies of mathematicians give an enriching historical context. The book includes statistical tables and solutions to the even-numbered problems at the end.

There has been much recent research on the theory of point processes, i.e., on random systems consisting of point events occurring in space or time. Applications range from emissions from a radioactive source, occurrences of accidents or machine breakdowns, or of electrical impluses along nerve fibres, to repetitive point events in an individual's medical or social history. Sometimes the point events occur in space rather than time and the application here raneg from statistical physics to geography. The object of this book is to develop the applied mathemathics of point processes at a level which will make the ideas accessible both to the research worker and the postgraduate student in probability and statistics and also to the mathemathically inclined individual in another field interested in using ideas and results. A thorough knowledge of the key notions of elementary probability theory is required to understand the book, but specialised "pure mathematical" coniderations have been avoided.

This book was first published in 2004. Many observed phenomena, from the changing health of a patient to values on the stock market, are characterised by quantities that vary over time: stochastic processes are designed to study them. This book introduces practical methods of applying stochastic processes to an audience knowledgeable only in basic statistics. It covers almost all aspects of the subject and presents the theory in an easily accessible form that is highlighted by application to many examples. These examples arise from dozens of areas, from sociology through medicine to engineering. Complementing these are exercise sets making the book suited for introductory courses in stochastic processes. Software (available from www.cambridge.org) is provided for the freely available R system for the reader to apply to all the models presented.

This book presents a self-contained introduction to stochastic processes with emphasis on their applications in science, engineering, finance, computer science, and operations research. It provides theoretical foundations for modeling time-dependent random phenomena in these areas and illustrates their application by analyzing numerous practical examples. The treatment assumes few prerequisites, requiring only the standard mathematical maturity acquired by undergraduate applied science students. It includes an introductory chapter that summarizes the basic probability theory needed as background. Numerous exercises reinforce the concepts and techniques discussed and allow readers to assess their grasp of the subject. Solutions to most of the exercises are provided in an appendix. While focused primarily on practical aspects, the presentation includes some important proofs along with more challenging examples and exercises for those more theoretically inclined. Mastering the contents of this book prepares readers to apply stochastic modeling in their own fields and enables them to work more creatively with software designed for dealing with the data analysis aspects of stochastic processes.

An integrated approach to fractals and point processes This publication provides a complete and integrated presentation of the fields of fractals and point processes, from definitions and measures to analysis and estimation. The authors skillfully demonstrate how fractal-based point processes, established as the intersection of these two fields, are tremendously useful for representing and describing a wide variety of diverse phenomena in the physical and biological sciences. Topics range from information-packet arrivals on a computer network to action-potential occurrences in a neural preparation. The authors begin with concrete and key examples of fractals and point processes, followed by an introduction to fractals and chaos. Point processes are defined, and a collection of characterizing measures are presented. With the concepts of fractals and point processes thoroughly explored, the authors move on to integrate the two fields of study. Mathematical formulations for several important fractal-based point-process families are provided, as well as an explanation of how various operations modify such processes. The authors also examine analysis and estimation techniques suitable for these processes. Finally, computer network traffic, an important application used to illustrate the various approaches and models set forth in earlier chapters, is discussed. Throughout the presentation, readers are exposed to a number of important applications that are examined with the aid of a set of point processes drawn from biological signals and computer network traffic. Problems are provided at the end of each chapter allowing readers to put their newfound knowledge into practice, and all solutions are provided in an appendix. An accompanying Web site features links to supplementary materials and tools to assist with data analysis and simulation. With its focus on applications and numerous solved problem sets, this is an excellent graduate-level text for courses in such diverse fields as statistics, physics, engineering, computer science, psychology, and neuroscience.

Mathematical finance has grown into a huge area of research which requires a large number of sophisticated mathematical tools. This book simultaneously introduces the financial methodology and the relevant mathematical tools in a style that is mathematically rigorous and yet accessible to practitioners and mathematicians alike. It interlaces financial concepts such as arbitrage opportunities, admissible strategies, contingent claims, option pricing and default risk with the mathematical theory of Brownian motion, diffusion processes, and Lévy processes. The first half of the book is devoted to continuous path processes whereas the second half deals with discontinuous processes. The extensive bibliography comprises a wealth of important references and the author index enables readers quickly to locate where the reference is cited within the book, making this volume an invaluable tool both for students and for those at the forefront of research and practice.