Second order backward stochastic differential equations with quadratic growth

We extend the well posedness results for second order backward stochastic differential equations introduced by Soner, Touzi and Zhang (2012)  [31] to the case of a bounded terminal condition and a generator with quadratic growth in the z$z$ variable. More precisely, we obtain uniqueness through a representation of the solution inspired by stochastic control theory, and we obtain two existence results using two different methods. In particular, we obtain the existence of the simplest purely quadratic 2BSDEs through the classical exponential change, which allows us to introduce a quasi-sure version of the entropic risk measure. As an application, we also study robust risk-sensitive control problems. Finally, we prove a Feynman–Kac formula and a probabilistic representation for fully non-linear PDEs in this setting.     

A finite volume method for scalar conservation laws with stochastic time–space dependent flux functions

We propose a new finite volume method for scalar conservation laws with stochastic time–space dependent flux functions. The stochastic effects appear in the flux function and can be interpreted as a random manner to localize the discontinuity in the time–space dependent flux function. The location of the interface between the fluxes can be obtained by solving a system of stochastic differential equations for the velocity fluctuation and displacement variable. In this paper we develop a modified Rusanov method for the reconstruction of numerical fluxes in the finite volume discretization. To solve the system of stochastic differential equations for the interface we apply a second-order Runge–Kutta scheme. Numerical results are presented for stochastic problems in traffic flow and two-phase flow applications. It is found that the proposed finite volume method offers a robust and accurate approach for solving scalar conservation laws with stochastic time–space dependent flux functions.     

Logarithmic barrier decomposition-based interior point methods for stochastic symmetric programming

We introduce and study two-stage stochastic symmetric programs with recourse to handle uncertainty in data defining (deterministic) symmetric programs in which a linear function is minimized over the intersection of an affine set and a symmetric cone. We present a Benders’ decomposition-based interior point algorithm for solving these problems and prove its polynomial complexity. Our convergence analysis proved by showing that the log barrier associated with the recourse function of stochastic symmetric programs behaves a strongly self-concordant barrier and forms a self-concordant family on the first stage solutions. Since our analysis applies to all symmetric cones, this algorithm extends Zhao’s results [G. Zhao, A log barrier method with Benders’ decomposition for solving two-stage stochastic linear programs, Math. Program. Ser. A 90 (2001) 507–536] for two-stage stochastic linear programs, and Mehrotra and Özevin’s results [S. Mehrotra, M.G. Özevin, Decomposition-based interior point methods for two-stage stochastic semidefinite programming, SIAM J. Optim. 18 (1) (2007) 206–222] for two-stage stochastic semidefinite programs.     

Mean-square stability of second-order Runge–Kutta methods for multi-dimensional linear stochastic differential systems

In this paper, the mean-square stability of second-order Runge–Kutta schemes for multi-dimensional linear stochastic differential systems is studied. Motivated by the work of Tocino [Mean-square stability of second-order Runge–Kutta methods for stochastic differential equations, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 175 (2005) 355–367] and Saito and Mitsui [Mean-square stability of numerical schemes for stochastic differential systems, in: International Conference on SCIentific Computation and Differential Equations, July 29–August 3 2001, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada] we investigate the mean-square stability of second-order Runge–Kutta schemes for multi-dimensional linear stochastic differential systems with one multiplicative noise. Stability criteria are established and numerical examples that confirm the theoretical results are also presented.     

Resilient and robust finite-time H∞ control for uncertain discrete-time jump nonlinear systems

This paper studies the robust and resilient finite-time H_∞ control problem for uncertain discrete-time nonlinear systems with Markovian jump parameters. With the help of linear matrix inequalities and stochastic analysis techniques, the criteria concerning stochastic finite-time boundedness and stochastic H_∞ finite-time boundedness are initially established for the nonlinear stochastic model. We then turn to stochastic finite-time controller analysis and design to guarantee that the stochastic model is stochastically H_∞ finite-time bounded by employing matrix decomposition method. Applying resilient control schemes, the resilient and robust finite-time controllers are further designed to ensure stochastic H_∞ finite-time boundedness of the derived stochastic nonlinear systems. Moreover, the results concerning stochastic finite-time stability and stochastic finite-time boundedness are addressed. All derived criteria are expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities, which can be solved by utilizing the available convex optimal method. Finally, the validity of obtained methods is illustrated by numerical examples.     

Robustness of optimal portfolios under risk and stochastic dominance constraints

Solutions of portfolio optimization problems are often influenced by a model misspecification or by errors due to approximation, estimation and incomplete information. The obtained results, recommendations for the risk and portfolio manager, should be then carefully analyzed. We shall deal with output analysis and stress testing with respect to uncertainty or perturbations of input data for static risk constrained portfolio optimization problems by means of the contamination technique. Dependence of the set of feasible solutions on the probability distribution rules out the straightforward construction of convexity-based global contamination bounds. Results obtained in our paper [Dupa?ová, J., & Kopa, M. (2012). Robustness in stochastic programs with risk constraints. Annals of Operations Research, 200, 55–74.] were derived for the risk and second order stochastic dominance constraints under suitable smoothness and/or convexity assumptions that are fulfilled, e.g. for the Markowitz mean–variance model. In this paper we relax these assumptions having in mind the first order stochastic dominance and probabilistic risk constraints. Local bounds for problems of a special structure are obtained. Under suitable conditions on the structure of the problem and for discrete distributions we shall exploit the contamination technique to derive a new robust first order stochastic dominance portfolio efficiency test.     

Continuous weak approximation for stochastic differential equations

A convergence theorem for the continuous weak approximation of the solution of stochastic differential equations (SDEs) by general one-step methods is proved, which is an extension of a theorem due to Milstein. As an application, uniform second order conditions for a class of continuous stochastic Runge–Kutta methods containing the continuous extension of the second order stochastic Runge–Kutta scheme due to Platen are derived. Further, some coefficients for optimal continuous schemes applicable to Itô SDEs with respect to a multi–dimensional Wiener process are presented.     

Robust portfolios that do not tilt factor exposure

Robust portfolios reduce the uncertainty in portfolio performance. In particular, the worst-case optimization approach is based on the Markowitz model and form portfolios that are more robust compared to mean–variance portfolios. However, since the robust formulation finds a different portfolio from the optimal mean–variance portfolio, the two portfolios may have dissimilar levels of factor exposure. In most cases, investors need a portfolio that is not only robust but also has a desired level of dependency on factor movement for managing the total portfolio risk. Therefore, we introduce new robust formulations that allow investors to control the factor exposure of portfolios. Empirical analysis shows that the robust portfolios from the proposed formulations are more robust than the classical mean–variance approach with comparable levels of exposure on fundamental factors.     

Three-stage stochastic Runge–Kutta methods for stochastic differential equations

In this paper we discuss three-stage stochastic Runge–Kutta (SRK) methods with strong order 1.0 for a strong solution of Stratonovich stochastic differential equations (SDEs). Higher deterministic order is considered. Two methods, a three-stage explicit (E3) method and a three-stage semi-implicit (SI3) method, are constructed in this paper. The stability properties and numerical results show the effectiveness of these methods in the pathwise approximation of several standard test problems.     

A model of distributionally robust two-stage stochastic convex programming with linear recourse

We consider distributionally robust two-stage stochastic convex programming problems, in which the recourse problem is linear. Other than analyzing these new models case by case for different ambiguity sets, we adopt a unified form of ambiguity sets proposed by Wiesemann, Kuhn and Sim, and extend their analysis from a single stochastic constraint to the two-stage stochastic programming setting. It is shown that under a standard set of regularity conditions, this class of problems can be converted to a conic optimization problem. Numerical results are presented to show the efficiency of the distributionally robust approach.     

Runge–Kutta methods for affinely controlled nonlinear systems

Rooted tree analysis is adapted from stochastic differential equations to derive systematically general Runge–Kutta methods for deterministic affinely controlled nonlinear systems. Order conditions are found and some specific coefficients for second- and third-order methods are determined, which are then used for simulations compared with the Taylor methods for affinely controlled nonlinear systems derived by Grüne and Kloeden.     

Sesquilinear quantum stochastic analysis in Banach space

A theory of quantum stochastic processes in Banach space is initiated. The processes considered here consist of Banach space valued sesquilinear maps. We establish an existence and uniqueness theorem for quantum stochastic differential equations in Banach modules, show that solutions in unital Banach algebras yield stochastic cocycles, give sufficient conditions for a stochastic cocycle to satisfy such an equation, and prove a stochastic Lie–Trotter product formula. The theory is used to extend, unify and refine standard quantum stochastic analysis through different choices of Banach space, of which there are three paradigm classes: spaces of bounded Hilbert space operators, operator mapping spaces and duals of operator space coalgebras. Our results provide the basis for a general theory of quantum stochastic processes in operator spaces, of which Lévy processes on compact quantum groups is a special case.     

Global stability and stabilization of more general stochastic nonlinear systems

This paper considers the global stability and stabilization of more general stochastic nonlinear systems. Due to the absence of the conventional assumptions (e.g., Lipschitz condition), the stochastic nonlinear systems under investigation may have more than one weak solution. However, the most associated results are only applicable to the stochastic systems having a unique strong solution, and therefore, it is meaningful to refine and extend the relevant concepts and methods to the more general case. In this paper, the concepts of stochastic stability in the more general sense are first introduced to cover the stochastic nonlinear systems having more than one weak solution. Then, the generalized stochastic Barbashin–Krasovskii theorem and LaSalle theorem are established, which present the criterions of stochastic stability for more general stochastic nonlinear systems. As one of the main contributions in this paper, we rigorously prove the generalized stochastic Barbashin–Krasovskii theorem. Moreover, based on the generalized theorems, the output-feedback and state-feedback stabilization are accomplished respectively for two classes of high-order stochastic nonlinear systems under rather weaker assumptions comparing to the existing literature.     

Portfolio optimization via stochastic programming: Methods of output analysis

Solutions of portfolio optimization problems are often influenced by errors or misspecifications due to approximation, estimation and incomplete information. Selected methods for analysis of results obtained by solving stochastic programs are presented and their scope illustrated on generic examples – the Markowitz model, a multiperiod bond portfolio management problem and a general strategic investment problem. The approaches are based on asymptotic and robust statistics, on the moment problem and on results of parametric optimization.     

Mean square stability analysis of impulsive stochastic differential equations with delays

In this article, based on Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional method and stochastic analysis theory, we obtain some new criteria ensuring mean square stability of trivial solution of a class of impulsive stochastic differential equations with delays. As an application, a class of stochastic impulsive neural network with delays has been discussed. One illustrative example has been provided to show the effectiveness of our results.     

Stochastic optimization theory of backward stochastic differential equations with jumps and viscosity solutions of Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations

In this paper we study stochastic optimal control problems with jumps with the help of the theory of Backward Stochastic Differential Equations (BSDEs) with jumps. We generalize the results of Peng [S. Peng, BSDE and stochastic optimizations, in: J. Yan, S. Peng, S. Fang, L. Wu, Topics in Stochastic Analysis, Science Press, Beijing, 1997 (Chapter 2) (in Chinese)] by considering cost functionals defined by controlled BSDEs with jumps. The application of BSDE methods, in particular, the use of the notion of stochastic backward semigroups introduced by Peng in the above-mentioned work allows a straightforward proof of a dynamic programming principle for value functions associated with stochastic optimal control problems with jumps. We prove that the value functions are the viscosity solutions of the associated generalized Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations with integral-differential operators. For this proof, we adapt Peng’s BSDE approach, given in the above-mentioned reference, developed in the framework of stochastic control problems driven by Brownian motion to that of stochastic control problems driven by Brownian motion and Poisson random measure.     

The stochastic fluid–fluid model: A stochastic fluid model driven by an uncountable-state process,which is a stochastic fluid model itself

We introduce the Stochastic Fluid–Fluid Model, which offers powerful modeling ability for a wide range of real-life systems of significance. We first derive the infinitesimal generator, with respect to time, of the driving stochastic fluid model. We then use this to derive the infinitesimal generator of a particular Laplace–Stieltjes transform of the model, which is the foundation of our analysis. We develop expressions for the Laplace–Stieltjes transforms of various performance measures for the transient and limiting analysis of the model. This work is the first direct analysis of a stochastic fluid model that is Markovian on a continuous state space.     

Convergence of the semi-implicit Euler method for neutral stochastic delay differential equations with phase semi-Markovian switching

Recently, in the numerical analysis for stochastic differential equations (SDEs), it is a new topic to study the numerical schemes of neutral stochastic functional differential equations (NSFDEs) (see Wu and Mao [1]). Especially when Markovian switchings are taken into consideration, these problems will be more complicated. Although Zhou and Wu [2] develop a numerical scheme to neutral stochastic delay differential equations with Markovian switching (short for NSDDEwMSs), their method belongs to explicit Euler–Maruyama methods which are in general much less accurate in approximation than their implicit or semi-implicit counterparts. Therefore, to propose an implicit method becomes imperative to fill the gap. In this paper we will extend Zhou and Wu [2] to the case of the semi-implicit Euler–Maruyama methods and equations with phase semi-Markovian switching rather than Markovian switching. The employment of phase semi-Markovian chains can avoid the restriction of the negative exponential distribution of the sojourn time at a state. We prove the semi-implicit Euler solution will converge to the exact solution to NSDDEwMS under local Lipschitz condition. More precise inequalities and new techniques are put forward to overcome the difficulties for the existence of the neutral part.     

Solvability of forward–backward stochastic partial differential equations

In this paper we study the solvability of a class of fully-coupled forward–backward stochastic partial differential equations (FBSPDEs). These FBSPDEs cannot be put into the framework of stochastic evolution equations in general, and the usual decoupling methods for the Markovian forward–backward SDEs are difficult to apply. We prove the well-posedness of the FBSPDEs, under various conditions on the coefficients, by using either the method of contraction mapping or the method of continuation. These conditions, especially in the higher dimensional case, are novel in the literature.