Limit theorems for the critical age-dependent branching process with infinite variance

Let Z(t) be the population at time t of a critical age-dependent branching process. Suppose that the offspring distribution has a generating function of the form f(s) = s + (1 ? s)^1+αL(1 ? s) where α ∈ (0, 1) and L(x) varies slowly as x → 0⁺. Then we find, as t → ∞, (P{Z(t)> 0})^αL(P{Z(t)>0})～ μ/αt where μ is the mean lifetime of each particle. Furthermore, if we condition the process on non-extinction at time t, the random variable P{Z(t)>0}Z(t) converges in law to a random variable with Laplace-Stieltjes transform 1 - u(1 + u^α)^?1/α for u ?/ 0. Moment conditions on the lifetime distribution required for the above results are discussed.     

Nonlinear PDEs and measure-valued branching type processes

We deal with the probabilistic approach to a nonlinear operator Λ of the form , in connection with the works of M. Nagasawa, N. Ikeda, S. Watanabe, and M.L. Silverstein on the discrete branching processes. Instead of the Laplace operator we may consider the generator of a right (Markov) process, called base process, with a general (not necessarily locally compact) state space. It turns out that solutions of the nonlinear equation Λu=0 are produced by the harmonic functions with respect to the (linear) generator of a discrete branching type process. The consideration of the general state space allows to take as base process a measure-valued superprocess (in the sense of E.B. Dynkin). The probabilistic counterpart is a Markov process which is a combination between a continuous branching process (e.g., associated with a nonlinear operator of the form Δu−uα, 1<α?2) and a discrete branching type one, on a space of configurations of finite measures. Our approach uses probabilistic and analytic potential theoretical tools, like the potential kernel of a continuous additive functional and the subordination operators.     

Limit behavior of a critical branching process with immigration

A generalization of the Sevast’yanov branching process with immigrationwhich is a Cox process is studied. The generating function of the number of particles of the process is obtained. For critical processes, the limit behavior of the number of particles at infinity is established.     

Construction and regularity of measure-valued markov branching processes

A construction is given for a general class of measure-valued Markov branching processes. The underlying spatial motion process is an arbitrary Borel right Markov process, and state-dependent offspring laws are allowed. It is shown that such processes are Hunt processes in the Ray weak* topology, and have continuous paths if and only if the total mass process is continuous. The entrance spaces of such processes are described explicitly. Research supported in part by NSF Grant DMS 87-21237.     

The stable doubly infinite pedigree process of supercritical branching populations

Summary An individual is sampled randomly from a supercritical general branching population and the pedigree process, which centers around this ego-individual, is studied. The process describes not only lineage backwards and forwards, but also the lives of all individuals involved. Under mild conditions and in several senses, the process is shown to stabilize, as time passes. The limit is a doubly infinite population process, which generalizes the stable age distribution of branching processes and demography. It displays a nice independence structure, and can easily be constructed from the original branching law. The results are applied to certain kin-number problems, the process of ego's ancestors' births, and to the FLM-curve of cell kinetics.     

Extinction probability for a critical general branching process

A general branching process begins with a single individual born at time t=0. At random ages during its random lifespan L it gives birth to offspring, N(t) being the number born in the age interval [0,t]. Each offspring behaves as a probabilistically independent copy of the initial individual. Let Z(t) be the population at time t, and let N=N(∞). Theorem: If a general branching process is critical, i. e E{N}=1, and if $\text{σ}{}^2\text{=E {N(N?1)}<∞, 0<a≡}\text{∫}\text{0}\text{∞}\text{tdE{N(t)}}$,and as t → ∞ both $\text{t}{}^2\text{(1?}\text{E}\text{{N(t)})→0}$ and $\text{t}{}^2\text{P}\text{[L>t]→0}$, then $\text{tP[Z(t)>0]→}\text{2a}\text{σ}{}^2$ as t→∞.     

Critical multitype branching processes with infinite variance

The exponential limit law for the critical multitype Bienaymé-Galton-Watson process is extended to a class of offspring distributions some or all of whose second moments are infinite. Several asymptotic consequences pertaining to transition probabilities and invariant measures are derived.     

Estimation of the offspring mean in a supercritical branching process with non-stationary immigration

In this paper, we consider the conditional least squares estimator (CLSE) of the offspring mean of a branching process with non-stationary immigration based on the observation of population sizes. In the supercritical case, assuming that the immigration variables follow known distributions, conditions guaranteeing the strong consistency of the proposed estimator will be derived. The asymptotic normality of the estimator will also be proved. The proofs are based on direct probabilistic arguments, unlike the previous papers, where functional limit theorems for the process were used.     

A note on the empty balls left by a critical branching Wiener process

Summary In this note, we partially confirm some conjectures of P. Révész [10] on the critical branching Wiener process.     

Estimation of the offspring mean in a controlled branching process with a random control function

Controlled branching processes (CBP) with a random control function provide a useful way to model generation sizes in population dynamics studies, where control on the growth of the population size is necessary at each generation. An important special case of this process is the well known branching process with immigration. Motivated by the work of Wei and Winnicki [C.Z. Wei, J. Winnicki, Estimation of the mean in the branching process with immigration, Ann. Statist. 18 (1990) 1757–1773], we develop a weighted conditional least squares estimator of the offspring mean of the CBP and derive the asymptotic limit distribution of the estimator when the process is subcritical, critical and supercritical. Moreover, we show the strong consistency of this estimator in all the cases. The results obtained here extend those of Wei and Winnicki [C.Z. Wei, J. Winnicki, Estimation of the mean in the branching process with immigration, Ann. Statist. 18 (1990) 1757–1773] for branching processes with immigration and provide a unified limit theory of estimation.     

A continuous-state polynomial branching process

A continuous-state polynomial branching process is constructed as the pathwise unique solution of a stochastic integral equation with absorbing boundary condition. The process can also be obtained from a spectrally positive Lévy process through Lamperti type transformations. The extinction and explosion probabilities and the mean extinction and explosion times are computed explicitly. Some of those are also new for the classical linear branching process. We present necessary and sufficient conditions for the process to extinguish or explode in finite times. In the critical or subcritical case, we give a construction of the process coming down from infinity. Finally, it is shown that the continuous-state polynomial branching process arises naturally as the rescaled limit of a sequence of discrete-state processes.