Semigroups, Rings, and Markov Chains

We analyze random walks on a class of semigroups called left-regular bands. These walks include the hyperplane chamber walks of Bidigare, Hanlon, and Rockmore. Using methods of ring theory, we show that the transition matrices are diagonalizable and we calculate the eigenvalues and multiplicities. The methods lead to explicit formulas for the projections onto the eigenspaces. As examples of these semigroup walks, we construct a random walk on the maximal chains of any distributive lattice, as well as two random walks associated with any matroid. The examples include a q-analogue of the Tsetlin library. The multiplicities of the eigenvalues in the matroid walks are generalized derangement numbers, which may be of independent interest.     

Positive Discrete Spectrum of the Evolutionary Operator of Supercritical Branching Walks with Heavy Tails

We consider a continuous-time symmetric supercritical branching random walk on a multidimensional lattice with a finite set of the particle generation centres, i.e. branching sources. The main object of study is the evolutionary operator for the mean number of particles both at an arbitrary point and on the entire lattice. The existence of positive eigenvalues in the spectrum of an evolutionary operator results in an exponential growth of the number of particles in branching random walks, called supercritical in the such case. For supercritical branching random walks, it is shown that the amount of positive eigenvalues of the evolutionary operator, counting their multiplicity, does not exceed the amount of branching sources on the lattice, while the maximal of these eigenvalues is always simple. We demonstrate that the appearance of multiple lower eigenvalues in the spectrum of the evolutionary operator can be caused by a kind of ‘symmetry’ in the spatial configuration of branching sources. The presented results are based on Green’s function representation of transition probabilities of an underlying random walk and cover not only the case of the finite variance of jumps but also a less studied case of infinite variance of jumps.     

Implementing Pure Adaptive Search with Grover's Quantum Algorithm

Pure adaptive search (PAS) is an idealized stochastic algorithm for unconstrained global optimization. The number of PAS iterations required to solve a problem increases only linearly in the domain dimension. However, each iteration requires the generation of a random domain point uniformly distributed in the current improving region. If no regularity conditions are known to hold for the objective function, then this task requires a number of classical function evaluations varying inversely with the proportion of the domain constituted by the improving region, entirely counteracting the PAS apparent speedup. The Grover quantum computational search algorithm provides a way to generate the PAS iterates. We show that the resulting implementation, which we call the Grover adaptive search (GAS), realizes PAS for functions satisfying certain conditions, and we believe that, when quantum computers will be available, GAS will be a practical algorithm.     

Some Remarks on the Eigenvalue Multiplicities of the Laplacian on Infinite Locally Finite Trees

We consider the continuous Laplacian on an infinite uniformly locally finite network under natural transition conditions as continuity at the ramification nodes and the classical Kirchhoff flow condition at all vertices in a L ^∞-setting. The characterization of eigenvalues of infinite multiplicity for trees with finitely many boundary vertices (von Below and Lubary, Results Math 47:199–225, 2005, 8.6) is generalized to the case of infinitely many boundary vertices. Moreover, it is shown that on a tree, any eigenspace of infinite dimension contains a subspace isomorphic to ${\ell^\infty({\mathbb N})}$ . As for the zero eigenvalue, it is shown that a locally finite tree either is a Liouville space or has infinitely many linearly independent bounded harmonic functions if the edge lengths do not shrink to zero anywhere. This alternative is shown to be false on graphs containing circuits.     

Graph covers with two new eigenvalues

A certain signed adjacency matrix of the hypercube, which Hao Huang used last year to resolve the Sensitivity Conjecture, is closely related to the unique, 4-cycle free, 2-fold cover of the hypercube. We develop a framework in which this connection is a natural first example of the relationship between group valued adjacency matrices with few eigenvalues, and combinatorially interesting covering graphs. In particular, we define a two-eigenvalue cover, to be a covering graph whose adjacency spectra differs (as a multiset) from that of the graph it covers by exactly two eigenvalues. We show that walk regularity of a graph implies walk regularity of any abelian two-eigenvalue cover. We also give a spectral characterization for when a cyclic two-eigenvalue cover of a strongly-regular graph is distance-regular.     

Stratified random walks on the n-cube

In this paper we present a method for analyzing a general class of random walks on the n-cube (and certain subgraphs of it). These walks all have the property that the transition probabilities depend only on the level of the point at which the walk is. For these walks, we derive sharp bounds on their mixing rates, i.e., the number of steps required to guarantee that the resulting distribution is close to the (uniform) stationary distribution. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 11 , 199–222, 1997     

On the Local Times of Transient Random Walks

We study the properties of the local and occupation times of certain transient random walks. First, our recent results concerning simple symmetric random walk in higher dimension are surveyed, then we start to establish similar results for simple asymmetric random walk on the line.     

A combinatorial result with applications to self-interacting random walks

We give a series of combinatorial results that can be obtained from any two collections (both indexed by Z×N) of left and right pointing arrows that satisfy some natural relationship. When applied to certain self-interacting random walk couplings, these allow us to reprove some known transience and recurrence results for some simple models. We also obtain new results for one-dimensional multi-excited random walks and for random walks in random environments in all dimensions.     

Restricted random walks on a graph

The problem of a restricted random walk on graphs, which keeps track of the number of immediate reversal steps, is considered by using a transfer matrix formulation. A closed-form expression is obtained for the generating function of the number ofn-step walks withr reversal steps for walks on any graph. In the case of graphs of a uniform valence, we show that our result has a probabilistic meaning, and deduce explicit expressions for the generating function in terms of the eigenvalues of the adjacency matrix. Applications to periodic lattices and the complete graph are given.Supported in part by National Science Foundation Grant DMR-9614170.     

Random Walks in Weyl Chambers and the Decomposition of Tensor Powers

We consider a class of random walks on a lattice, introduced by Gessel and Zeilberger, for which the reflection principle can be used to count the number of k-step walks between two points which stay within a chamber of a Weyl group. We prove three independent results about such reflectable walks: first, a classification of all such walks; second, many determinant formulas for walk numbers and their generating functions; third, an equality between the walk numbers and the multiplicities of irreducibles in the kth tensor power of certain Lie group representations associated to the walk types. Our results apply to the defining representations of the classical groups, as well as some spin representations of the orthogonal groups.     

Comparing Hecke eigenvalues of newforms

Given two distinct newforms with real Fourier coefficients, we show that the set of primes where the Hecke eigenvalues of one of them dominate the Hecke eigenvalues of the other has density \(\ge \)1/16. Furthermore, if the two newforms do not have complex multiplication, and neither is a quadratic twist of the other, we also prove a similar result for the squares of their Hecke eigenvalues.     

Spectra of graphs attached to the space of melodies

For any integer n greater than or equal to two, two intimately related graphs on the vertices of the n-dimensional cube are introduced. All of their eigenvalues are found to be integers, and the largest and the smallest ones are also determined. As a byproduct, certain kind of generating function for their spectra is introduced and shown to be quite effective to compute the eigenvalues of some broader class of adjacency matrices of graphs.     

On growth,recurrence and the Choquet-Deny Theorem for <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-adic Lie groups

We first study the growth properties of p-adic Lie groups and its connection with p-adic Lie groups of type R and prove that a non-type R p-adic Lie group has compact neighbourhoods of identity having exponential growth. This is applied to prove the growth dichotomy for a large class of p-adic Lie groups which includes p-adic algebraic groups. We next study p-adic Lie groups that admit recurrent random walks and prove the natural growth conjecture connecting growth and the existence of recurrent random walks, precisely we show that a p-adic Lie group admits a recurrent random walk if and only if it has polynomial growth of degree at most two. We prove this conjecture for some other classes of groups also. We also prove the Choquet-Deny Theorem for compactly generated p-adic Lie groups of polynomial growth and also show that polynomial growth is necessary and sufficient for the validity of the Choquet-Deny for all spread-out probabilities on Zariski-connected p-adic algebraic groups. Counter example is also given to show that certain assumptions made in the main results can not be relaxed.     

Excited Random Walks with Non-nearest Neighbor Steps

Let W be an integer-valued random variable satisfying \(E[W] =: \delta \ge 0\) and \(P(W<0)>0\), and consider a self-interacting random walk that behaves like a simple symmetric random walk with the exception that on the first visit to any integer \(x\in \mathbb Z\), the size of the next step is an independent random variable with the same distribution as W. We show that this self-interacting random walk is recurrent if \(\delta \le 1\) and transient if \(\delta >1\). This is a special case of our main result which concerns the recurrence and transience of excited random walks (or cookie random walks) with non-nearest neighbor jumps.     

Gumbel fluctuations for cover times in the discrete torus

This work proves that the fluctuations of the cover time of simple random walk in the discrete torus of dimension at least three with large side-length are governed by the Gumbel extreme value distribution. This result was conjectured for example in Aldous and Fill (Reversible Markov chains and random walks on graphs, in preparation). We also derive some corollaries which qualitatively describe “how” covering happens. In addition, we develop a new and stronger coupling of the model of random interlacements, introduced by Sznitman (Ann Math (2) 171(3):2039–2087, 2010), and random walk in the torus. This coupling is used to prove the cover time result and is also of independent interest.     

基于Hadamard算子的二维离散量子行走的概率测度估计

二维离散时间量子行走是直线上的量子行走的推广.通过演化算子的作用,行走者能够按照一定规律进行移动.在本文中,我们将Hadamard算子作为控制行走者方向的硬币算子,通过与控制行走者位置的条件转移算子结合,构成完整的演化算子.通过傅里叶变换,将行走者所处的时域空间转换成频域空间后,用傅里叶积分的平稳相位法得到了行走者在t步后处于位置(x,y)的振幅以及此时的概率估计.     

Product-form characterization for a two-dimensional reflecting random walk

We consider a two-dimensional skip-free reflecting random walk on the non-negative integers, which is referred to as a 2-d reflecting random walk. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for the stationary distribution to have a product-form. We also derive simpler sufficient conditions for the product-form for a restricted class of 2-d reflecting random walks. We apply these results and obtain a product-form approximation of the stationary distribution through a suitable modification of the parameters of the random walk.     

Random walks on graphs with a strong isoperimetric property

A random walk on a graph is a Markov chain whose state space consists of the vertices of the graph and where transitions are only allowed along the edges. We study (strongly) reversible random walks and characterize the class of graphs where then-step transition probabilities tend to zero exponentially fast (geometric ergodicity). These characterizations deal with an isoperimetric property, norm inequalities for certain associated operators, and eigenvalues of the Laplace operator. There is some (strong) similarity with the theory of (non)amenable groups.     

Families of prudent self-avoiding walks

A self-avoiding walk (SAW) on the square lattice is prudent if it never takes a step towards a vertex it has already visited. Prudent walks differ from most classes of SAW that have been counted so far in that they can wind around their starting point.Their enumeration was first addressed by Préa in 1997. He defined 4 classes of prudent walks, of increasing generality, and wrote a system of recurrence relations for each of them. However, these relations involve more and more parameters as the generality of the class increases.The first class actually consists of partially directed walks, and its generating function is well known to be rational. The second class was proved to have an algebraic (quadratic) generating function by Duchi (2005). Here, we solve exactly the third class, which turns out to be much more complex: its generating function is not algebraic, nor even D-finite.The fourth class—general prudent walks—is the only isotropic one, and still defeats us. However, we design an isotropic family of prudent walks on the triangular lattice, which we count exactly. Again, the generating function is proved to be non-D-finite.We also study the asymptotic properties of these classes of walks, with the (somewhat disappointing) conclusion that their endpoint moves away from the origin at a positive speed. This is confirmed visually by the random generation procedures we have designed.