<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis></Superscript>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> Queue with catastrophes and state-dependent control at idle time

We consider an M ^X /M/c queue with catastrophes and state-dependent control at idle time. Properties of the queues which terminate when the servers become idle are first studied. Recurrence, equilibrium distribution, and equilibrium queue-size structure are studied for the case of resurrection and no catastrophes. All of these properties and the first effective catastrophe occurrence time are then investigated for the case of resurrection and catastrophes. In particular, we obtain the Laplace transform of the transition probability for the absorbing M ^X /M/c queue.     

Pricing of catastrophe insurance options written on a loss index with reestimation

We propose a valuation model for catastrophe insurance options written on a loss index. This kind of options distinguishes between a loss period [0,T₁], during which the catastrophes may happen, and a development period [T₁,T₂], during which losses entered before T₁ are reestimated. Here we suppose that the underlying loss index is given by a time inhomogeneous compound Poisson process before T₁ and that losses are reestimated by a common factor given by an exponential time inhomogeneous Lévy process after T₁. In this setting, using Fourier transform techniques, we are able to provide analytical pricing formulas for catastrophe options written on this kind of index.     

On the M/M/1 Queue with Catastrophes and Its Continuous Approximation

For the M/M/1 queue in the presence of catastrophes the transition probabilities, densities of the busy period and of the catastrophe waiting time are determined. A heavy-traffic approximation to this discrete model is then derived. This is seen to be equivalent to a Wiener process subject to randomly occurring jumps for which some analytical results are obtained. The goodness of the approximation is discussed by comparing the closed-form solutions obtained for the continuous process with those obtained for the M/M/1 catastrophized queue.     

The M/G/1 Queue with Finite Workload Capacity

We consider the M/G/1 queueing system in which customers whose admission to the system would increase the workload beyond a prespecified finite capacity limit are not accepted. Various results on the distribution of the workload are derived; in particular, we give explicit formulas for its stationary distribution for M/M/1 and in the general case, under the preemptive LIFO discipline, for the joint stationary distribution of the number of customers in the system and their residual service times. Furthermore, the Laplace transform of the length of a busy period is determined. Finally, for M/D/1 the busy period distribution is derived in closed form.     

Sampling local properties of attractors via Extreme Value Theory

We provide formulas to compute the coefficients entering the affine scaling needed to get a non-degenerate function for the asymptotic distribution of the maxima of some kind of observable computed along the orbit of a randomly perturbed dynamical system. This will give information on the local geometrical properties of the stationary measure. We will consider systems perturbed with additive noise and with observational noise. Moreover we will apply our techniques to chaotic systems and to contractive systems, showing that both share the same qualitative behavior when perturbed.     

Chord-length distribution functions and Rice formulae. Application to random media

We consider a stationary and isotropic bi-phasic (pore and solid) medium, draw many lines through it, and see each line as a one-dimensional level-cut process with value 0 or 1 according to whether a regular stationary process X is less or greater than a given level. The intervals corresponding to the points at which X is in a given phase are named chords. We are interested in obtaining information on the chord-length distribution functions. Working with the Palm probability measure and using level crossings techniques, in particular Rice methods, we can obtain not only the exact analytical formula of the chord-length distribution function but also the joint distribution function of the lengths of two successive chords. Finally, we indicate some concrete applications for the computation of usual stereological parameters.     

Tail asymptotics for a Lévy-driven tandem queue with an intermediate input

We consider a Lévy-driven tandem queue with an intermediate input assuming that its buffer content process obtained by a reflection mapping has the stationary distribution. For this queue, no closed form formula is known, not only for its distribution but also for the corresponding transform. In this paper, we consider only light-tailed inputs. For the Brownian input case, we derive exact tail asymptotics for the marginal stationary distribution of the second buffer content, while weaker asymptotic results are obtained for the general Lévy input case. The results generalize those of Lieshout and Mandjes from the recent papers (Lieshout and Mandjes in Math. Methods Oper. Res. 66:275–298, 2007 and Queueing Syst. 60:203–226, 2008) for the corresponding tandem queue without an intermediate input.     

A Critical Branching Process with Stationary-Limiting Distribution

Abstract

Seneta (Seneta, E. The stationary distribution of a branching process allowing immigration: A remark on the critical case. J. Royal Statistical Society, Series B 1968, 30, 176–179) shows that a critical branching process with pure immigration has a stationary-limiting distribution provided that its offspring variance is infinite. We obtain a stationary-limiting distribution keeping the variance finite but allowing an emigration–immigration component in each generation.     

Computation of the Optimal Policy for the Control of a Compound Immigration Process through Total Catastrophes

In this paper we consider a Markov decision model introduced by Economou (2003), in which it was proved that the optimal policy in the problem of controlling a compound immigration process through total catastrophes is of control-limit type. We show that the average cost of a control-limit policy is unimodal as a function of the critical point. This result enables us to design very efficient algorithms for the computation of the optimal policy as the bisection procedure and a special-purpose policy iteration algorithm that operates on the class of control-limit policies.AMS 2000 Subject Classification: Primary 9OC40; Secondary 6OJ25     

The perturbed compound Poisson risk model with constant interest and a threshold dividend strategy

In this paper, we consider the compound Poisson risk model perturbed by diffusion with constant interest and a threshold dividend strategy. Integro-differential equations with certain boundary conditions for the moment-generation function and the nth moment of the present value of all dividends until ruin are derived. We also derive integro-differential equations with boundary conditions for the Gerber-Shiu functions. The special case that the claim size distribution is exponential is considered in some detail.     

A BMAP/SM/1 queue with service times depending on the arrival process

We study a BMAP/>SM/1 queue with batch Markov arrival process input and semi‐Markov service. Service times may depend on arrival phase states, that is, there are many types of arrivals which have different service time distributions. The service process is a heterogeneous Markov renewal process, and so our model necessarily includes known models. At first, we consider the first passage time from level {κ+1} (the set of the states that the number of customers in the system is κ+1) to level {κ} when a batch arrival occurs at time 0 and then a customer service included in that batch simultaneously starts. The service descipline is considered as a LIFO (Last‐In First‐Out) with preemption. This discipline has the fundamental role for the analysis of the first passage time. Using this first passage time distribution, the busy period length distribution can be obtained. The busy period remains unaltered in any service disciplines if they are work‐conserving. Next, we analyze the stationary workload distribution (the stationary virtual waiting time distribution). The workload as well as the busy period remain unaltered in any service disciplines if they are work‐conserving. Based on this fact, we derive the Laplace–Stieltjes transform for the stationary distribution of the actual waiting time under a FIFO discipline. In addition, we refer to the Laplace–Stieltjes transforms for the distributions of the actual waiting times of the individual types of customers. Using the relationship between the stationary waiting time distribution and the stationary distribution of the number of customers in the system at departure epochs, we derive the generating function for the stationary joint distribution of the numbers of different types of customers at departures. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Local times for solutions of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation and the inviscid limit

We consider the behaviour of the distribution for stationary solutions of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation perturbed by a random force. It was proved in S. Kuksin and A. Shirikyan (2004) [4] that if the random force is proportional to the square root of the viscosity ν>0, then the family of stationary measures possesses an accumulation point as ν→⁰⁺. We show that if μ is such a point, then the distributions of the L²-norm and of the energy possess a density with respect to the Lebesgue measure. The proofs are based on Itô?s formula and some properties of local time for semimartingales.     

Computing a Stationary Base-Stock Policy for a Finite Horizon Stochastic Inventory Problem with Non-linear Shortage Costs

Abstract

We consider a periodic-review stochastic inventory problem in which demands for a single product in each of a finite number of periods are independent and identically distributed random variables. We analyze the case where shortages (stockouts) are penalized via fixed and proportional costs simultaneously. For this problem, due to the finiteness of the planning horizon and non-linearity of the shortage costs, computing the optimal inventory policy requires a substantial effort as noted in the previous literature. Hence, our paper is aimed at reducing this computational burden. As a resolution, we propose to compute “the best stationary policy.” To this end, we restrict our attention to the class of stationary base-stock policies, and show that the multi-period, stochastic, dynamic problem at hand can be reduced to a deterministic, static equivalent. Using this important result, we introduce a model for computing an optimal stationary base-stock policy for the finite horizon problem under consideration. Fundamental analytic conclusions, some numerical examples, and related research findings are also discussed.     

Approximation of stationary solutions to SDEs driven by multiplicative fractional noise

In a previous paper, we studied the ergodic properties of an Euler scheme of a stochastic differential equation with a Gaussian additive noise in order to approximate the stationary regime of such an equation. We now consider the case of multiplicative noise when the Gaussian process is a fractional Brownian motion with Hurst parameter H>1/2$H>1/2$ and obtain some (functional) convergence properties of some empirical measures of the Euler scheme to the stationary solutions of such SDEs.     

Stochastic Optimization of Insurance Portfolios for Managing Exposure to Catastrophic Risks

A catastrophe may affect different locations and produce losses that are rare and highly correlated in space and time. It may ruin many insurers if their risk exposures are not properly diversified among locations. The multidimentional distribution of claims from different locations depends on decision variables such as the insurer's coverage at different locations, on spatial and temporal characteristics of possible catastrophes and the vulnerability of insured values. As this distribution is analytically intractable, the most promising approach for managing the exposure of insurance portfolios to catastrophic risks requires geographically explicit simulations of catastrophes. The straightforward use of so-called catastrophe modeling runs quickly into an extremely large number of what-if evaluations. The aim of this paper is to develop an approach that integrates catastrophe modeling with stochastic optimization techniques to support decision making on coverages of losses, profits, stability, and survival of insurers. We establish connections between ruin probability and the maximization of concave risk functions and we outline numerical experiments.     

Duality of dams via mountain processes

We consider a G/M/1-type dam having finite capacity and a general release rule, and construct a ‘dual’ M/G/1-type dam with state-dependent jump sizes and without dry periods whose content process has the same stationary density (up to some transformation). For the dual dam the stationary distribution can be computed in closed form.     

The perturbed Sparre Andersen model with a threshold dividend strategy

In this paper, we consider a Sparre Andersen model perturbed by diffusion with generalized Erlang(n)-distributed inter-claim times and a threshold dividend strategy. Integro-differential equations with certain boundary conditions for the moment-generation function and the mth moment of the present value of all dividends until ruin are derived. We also derive integro-differential equations with boundary conditions for the Gerber–Shiu functions. The special case where the inter-claim times are Erlang(2) distributed and the claim size distribution is exponential is considered in some details.     

Polynomial mixing for the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation perturbed by a random force at random times

In this paper we study the problem of ergodicity for the complex Ginzburg–Landau (CGL) equation perturbed by an unbounded random kick-force. Randomness is introduced both through the kicks and through the times between the kicks. We show that the Markov process associated with the equation in question possesses a unique stationary distribution and satisfies a property of polynomial mixing.      

带干扰phaes-type风险模型中的最大盈余及相关分布

本文考虑了索赔时间间距为phase-type分布时带干扰更新风险模型中的破产前最大盈余、破产后赤字的分布,建立了相应的积分-微分方程.最后,讨论了当索赔时间间距为Erlang(2)分布且索赔量满足指数分布时的特殊情形.     

A BMAP/G/1 Retrial Queue with a Server Subject to Breakdowns and Repairs

In this paper, we consider a BMAP/G/1 retrial queue with a server subject to breakdowns and repairs, where the life time of the server is exponential and the repair time is general. We use the supplementary variable method, which combines with the matrix-analytic method and the censoring technique, to study the system. We apply the RG-factorization of a level-dependent continuous-time Markov chain of M/G/1 type to provide the stationary performance measures of the system, for example, the stationary availability, failure frequency and queue length. Furthermore, we use the RG-factorization of a level-dependent Markov renewal process of M/G/1 type to express the Laplace transform of the distribution of a first passage time such as the reliability function and the busy period.