Particle Systems Random Media And Large Deviations

Covers the proceedings of the 1984 AMS Summer Research Conference. This work provides a summary of results from some of the areas in probability theory; interacting particle systems, percolation, random media (bulk properties and hydrodynamics), the Ising model and large deviations.

Large deviation estimates have proved to be the crucial tool required to handle many questions in statistics, engineering, statistial mechanics, and applied probability. Amir Dembo and Ofer Zeitouni, two of the leading researchers in the field, provide an introduction to the theory of large deviations and applications at a level suitable for graduate students. The mathematics is rigorous and the applications come from a wide range of areas, including electrical engineering and DNA sequences. The second edition, printed in 1998, included new material on concentration inequalities and the metric and weak convergence approaches to large deviations. General statements and applications were sharpened, new exercises added, and the bibliography updated. The present soft cover edition is a corrected printing of the 1998 edition.

The papers in this collection explore the connections between the rapidly developing fields of measure-valued processes, stochastic partial differential equations, and interacting particle systems, each of which has undergone profound development in recent years. Bringing together ideas and tools arising from these different sources, the papers include contributions to major directions of research in these fields, explore the interface between them, and describe newly developing research problems and methodologies. Several papers are devoted to different aspects of measure-valued branching processes (also called superprocesses). Some new classes of these processes are described, including branching in catalytic media, branching with change of mass, and multilevel branching. Sample path and spatial clumping properties of superprocesses are also studied. The papers on Fleming-Viot processes arising in population genetics include discussions of the role of genealogical structures and the application of the Dirichlet form methodology. Several papers are devoted to particle systems studied in statistical physics and to stochastic partial differential equations which arise as hydrodynamic limits of such systems. With overview articles on some of the important new developments in these areas, this book would be an ideal source for an advanced graduate course on superprocesses.

This volume describes the current state of knowledge of random spatial processes, particularly those arising in physics. The emphasis is on survey articles which describe areas of current interest to probabilists and physicists working on the probability theory of phase transition. Special attention is given to topics deserving further research. The principal contributions by leading researchers concern the mathematical theory of random walk, interacting particle systems, percolation, Ising and Potts models, spin glasses, cellular automata, quantum spin systems, and metastability. The level of presentation and review is particularly suitable for postgraduate and postdoctoral workers in mathematics and physics, and for advanced specialists in the probability theory of spatial disorder and phase transition.

This is the second printing of the book first published in 1988. The first four chapters of the volume are based on lectures given by Stroock at MIT in 1987. They form an introduction to the basic ideas of the theory of large deviations and make a suitable package on which to base a semester-length course for advanced graduate students with a strong background in analysis and some probability theory. A large selection of exercises presents important material and many applications. The last two chapters present various non-uniform results (Chapter 5) and outline the analytic approach that allows one to test and compare techniques used in previous chapters (Chapter 6).

This is the second printing of the book first published in 1988. The first four chapters of the volume are based on lectures given by Stroock at MIT in 1987. They form an introduction to the basic ideas of the theory of large deviations and make a suitable package on which to base a semester-length course for advanced graduate students with a strong background in analysis and some probability theory. A large selection of exercises presents important material and many applications. The last two chapters present various non-uniform results (Chapter 5) and outline the analytic approach that allows one to test and compare techniques used in previous chapters (Chapter 6).

This IMA Volume in Mathematics and its Applications RANDOM MEDIA represents the proceedings of a workshop which was an integral part of the 1984-85 IMA program on STOCHASTIC DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS We are grateful to the Scientific Committee: Daniel Stroock (Chairman) \~ende 11 Fl emi ng Theodore Harris Pierre-Louis Lions Steven Orey George Papanicolaou for planning and implementing an exciting and stimulating year-long program. We especi ally thank George Papani col aOIJ for organi zi ng a workshop which produced fruitful interactions between mathematicians and scientists from both academia and industry. George R. Sell Hans I~ei nherger PREFACE During September 1985 a workshop on random media was held at the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications at the University of Minnesota. This was part of the program for the year on Probability and Stochastic Processes at IMA. The main objective of the workshop was to bring together researchers who work in a broad area including applications and mathematical methodology. The papers in this volume give an idea of what went on and they also represent a cross section of problems and methods that are currently of interest.