Random Walks Boundaries And Spectra

These proceedings represent the current state of research on the topics 'boundary theory' and 'spectral and probability theory' of random walks on infinite graphs. They are the result of the two workshops held in Styria (Graz and St. Kathrein am Offenegg, Austria) between June 29th and July 5th, 2009. Many of the participants joined both meetings. Even though the perspectives range from very different fields of mathematics, they all contribute with important results to the same wonderful topic from structure theory, which, by extending a quotation of Laurent Saloff-Coste, could be described by 'exploration of groups by random processes'.

The main theme of this book is the interplay between the behaviour of a class of stochastic processes (random walks) and discrete structure theory. The author considers Markov chains whose state space is equipped with the structure of an infinite, locally finite graph, or as a particular case, of a finitely generated group. The transition probabilities are assumed to be adapted to the underlying structure in some way that must be specified precisely in each case. From the probabilistic viewpoint, the question is what impact the particular type of structure has on various aspects of the behaviour of the random walk. Vice-versa, random walks may also be seen as useful tools for classifying, or at least describing the structure of graphs and groups. Links with spectral theory and discrete potential theory are also discussed. This book will be essential reading for all researchers working in stochastic process and related topics.

The subject of this book stands at the crossroads of ergodic theory and measurable dynamics. With an emphasis on irreversible systems, the text presents a framework of multi-resolutions tailored for the study of endomorphisms, beginning with a systematic look at the latter. This entails a whole new set of tools, often quite different from those used for the “easier” and well-documented case of automorphisms. Among them is the construction of a family of positive operators (transfer operators), arising naturally as a dual picture to that of endomorphisms. The setting (close to one initiated by S. Karlin in the context of stochastic processes) is motivated by a number of recent applications, including wavelets, multi-resolution analyses, dissipative dynamical systems, and quantum theory. The automorphism-endomorphism relationship has parallels in operator theory, where the distinction is between unitary operators in Hilbert space and more general classes of operators such as contractions. There is also a non-commutative version: While the study of automorphisms of von Neumann algebras dates back to von Neumann, the systematic study of their endomorphisms is more recent; together with the results in the main text, the book includes a review of recent related research papers, some by the co-authors and their collaborators.

A contemporary exploration of the interplay between geometry, spectral theory and stochastics which is explored for graphs and manifolds.

This volume includes contributions originating from a conference held at Chapman University during November 14-19, 2017. It presents original research by experts in signal processing, linear systems, operator theory, complex and hypercomplex analysis and related topics.

The purpose of this book is to make available to beginning graduate students, and to others, some core areas of analysis which serve as prerequisites for new developments in pure and applied areas. We begin with a presentation (Chapters 1 and 2) of a selection of topics from the theory of operators in Hilbert space, algebras of operators, and their corresponding spectral theory. This is a systematic presentation of interrelated topics from infinite-dimensional and non-commutative analysis; again, with view to applications. Chapter 3 covers a study of representations of the canonical commutation relations (CCRs); with emphasis on the requirements of infinite-dimensional calculus of variations, often referred to as Ito and Malliavin calculus, Chapters 4-6. This further connects to key areas in quantum physics.

The book covers the latest research in the areas of mathematics that deal the properties of partial differential equations and stochastic processes on spaces in connection with the geometry of the underlying space. Written by experts in the field, this book is a valuable tool for the advanced mathematician.

This work presents a detailed study of the anisotropic series representations of the free product group $\mathbf Z/2\mathbf Z\star \cdots \star \mathbf Z/2\mathbf Z$. These representations are infinite dimensional, irreducible, and unitary and can be divided into principal and complementary series. Anisotropic series representations are interesting because, while they are not restricted from any larger continuous group in which the discrete group is a lattice, they nonetheless share many properties of such restrictions. The results of this work are also valid for nonabelian free groups on finitely many generators.