Parametric inference for discretely observed multidimensional diffusions with small diffusion coefficient

We consider a multidimensional diffusion X$X$ with drift coefficient b(α,_Xt)$b(\alpha ,X_t)$ and diffusion coefficient ?σ(β,_Xt)$?\sigma (\beta ,X_t)$. The diffusion sample path is discretely observed at times _tk=kΔ$t_k=k\Delta$ for k=1…n$k=1\dots n$ on a fixed interval [0,T]$[0,T]$. We study minimum contrast estimators derived from the Gaussian process approximating X$X$ for small ?$?$. We obtain consistent and asymptotically normal estimators of α$\alpha$ for fixed Δ$\Delta$ and ?→0$?\to 0$ and of (α,β)$(\alpha ,\beta )$ for Δ→0$\Delta \to 0$ and ?→0$?\to 0$ without any condition linking ?$?$ and Δ$\Delta$. We compare the estimators obtained with various methods and for various magnitudes of Δ$\Delta$ and ?$?$ based on simulation studies. Finally, we investigate the interest of using such methods in an epidemiological framework.     

Estimation for stochastic differential equations with a small diffusion coefficient

We consider a multidimensional diffusion X$X$ with drift coefficient b(_Xt,α)$b(X_t,\alpha )$ and diffusion coefficient εa(_Xt,β)$\epsilon a(X_t,\beta )$ where α$\alpha$ and β$\beta$ are two unknown parameters, while ε$\epsilon$ is known. For a high frequency sample of observations of the diffusion at the time points k/n$k/n$, k=1,…,n$k=1,\dots ,n$, we propose a class of contrast functions and thus obtain estimators of (α,β)$(\alpha ,\beta )$. The estimators are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal when n→∞$n\to \infty$ and ε→0$\epsilon \to 0$ in such a way that ε⁻¹n^−ρ${\epsilon }^{-1}{n}^{-\rho }$ remains bounded for some ρ>0$\rho >0$. The main focus is on the construction of explicit contrast functions, but it is noted that the theory covers quadratic martingale estimating functions as a special case. In a simulation study we consider the finite sample behaviour and the applicability to a financial model of an estimator obtained from a simple explicit contrast function.     

A limit theorem for the time of ruin in a Gaussian ruin problem

For certain Gaussian processes X(t)$X\left(t\right)$ with trend −ct^β$-c{t}^{\beta }$ and variance V²(t)$V^2\left(t\right)$, the ruin time is analyzed where the ruin time is defined as the first time point t$t$ such that X(t)−ct^β≥u$X\left(t\right)-c{t}^{\beta }\ge u$. The ruin time is of interest in finance and actuarial subjects. But the ruin time is also of interest in other applications, e.g. in telecommunications where it indicates the first time of an overflow. We derive the asymptotic distribution of the ruin time as u→∞$u\to \infty$ showing that the limiting distribution depends on the parameters β$\beta$, V(t)$V\left(t\right)$ and the correlation function of X(t)$X\left(t\right)$.     

Transformation formulas for fractional Brownian motion

We derive a Molchan–Golosov-type integral transform which changes fractional Brownian motion of arbitrary Hurst index K$K$ into fractional Brownian motion of index H$H$. Integration is carried out over [0,t]$[0,t]$, t>0$t>0$. The formula is derived in the time domain. Based on this transform, we construct a prelimit which converges in L²(P)$L^2\left(\mathbb{P}\right)$-sense to an analogous, already known Mandelbrot–Van Ness-type integral transform, where integration is over (−∞,t]$(-\infty ,t]$, t>0$t>0$.     

Boundedness of extremal solutions in dimension 4

In this paper we establish the boundedness of the extremal solution u^∗$u^{\ast }$ in dimension N=4$N=4$ of the semilinear elliptic equation −Δu=λf(u)$-\Delta u=\lambda f\left(u\right)$, in a general smooth bounded domain Ω⊂R^N$\Omega \subset {\mathbb{R}}^N$, with Dirichlet data u_|∂Ω=0$u{|}_{\partial \Omega }=0$, where f$f$ is a C¹$C^1$ positive, nondecreasing and convex function in [0,∞)$[0,\infty )$ such that f(s)/s→∞$f\left(s\right)/s\to \infty$ as s→∞$s\to \infty$.     

An approximation method for strictly pseudocontractive mappings

Let K$K$ be a closed convex subset of a q$q$-uniformly smooth separable Banach space, T:K→K$T:K\to K$ a strictly pseudocontractive mapping, and f:K→K$f:K\to K$ an L$L$-Lispschitzian strongly pseudocontractive mapping. For any t∈(0,1)$t\in (0,1)$, let _xt$x_t$ be the unique fixed point of tf+(1-t)T$\mathit{tf}+(1-t)T$. We prove that if T$T$ has a fixed point, then {_xt}$\{x_t\}$ converges to a fixed point of T$T$ as t$t$ approaches to 0.     

Unilateral small deviations of processes related to the fractional Brownian motion

Let x(s)$x\left(s\right)$, s∈R^d$s\in R^d$ be a Gaussian self-similar random process of index H$H$. We consider the problem of log-asymptotics for the probability _pT$p_T$ that x(s)$x\left(s\right)$, x(0)=0$x\left(0\right)=0$ does not exceed a fixed level in a star-shaped expanding domain T⋅Δ$T\cdot \Delta$ as T→∞$T\to \infty$. We solve the problem of the existence of the limit, θ?lim(−log_pT)/(logT)^D$\theta ?lim(-log{p}_T)/{(logT)}^D$, T→∞$T\to \infty$, for the fractional Brownian sheet x(s)$x\left(s\right)$, s∈[0,T]²$s\in {[0,T]}^2$ when D=2$D=2$, and we estimate θ$\theta$ for the integrated fractional Brownian motion when D=1$D=1$.     

An extension of Draghicescu’s fast tree-code algorithm to the vortex method on a sphere

A fast and accurate algorithm to compute interactions between N$N$ point vortices and between N$N$ vortex blobs on a sphere is proposed. It is an extension of the fast tree-code algorithm developed by Draghicescu for the vortex method in the plane. When we choose numerical parameters in the fast algorithm suitably, the computational cost of O(N²)$O\left(N^2\right)$ is reduced to O(N(logN)⁴)$O\left(N{(logN)}^4\right)$ and the approximation error decreases like O(1/N)$O(1/N)$ when N→∞$N\to \infty$, as demonstrated in the present article. We also apply the fast method to long-time evolution of two vortex sheets on the sphere to see the efficiency. A key point is to describe the equation of motion for the N$N$ points in the three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates.     

Equilibria and fixed points of set-valued maps with nonconvex and noncompact domains and ranges

Let C$C$ be a nonempty subset of a topological vector space E$E$. We state and prove new various fixed point theorems of Fan–Browder type for set-valued maps F:C→2^E$F:C\to 2^E$ such that C⊂F(C)$C\subset F\left(C\right)$ (called expansive), without assuming that the sets C$C$ and F(C)$F\left(C\right)$ are convex or compact or equal, and E$E$ is Hausdorff. Let K$K$ be a convex subset of E$E$ and let C$C$ be a nonempty subset of K$K$. Our proofs use a technique based on the investigations of the images of maps and restated for maps f:C×K→R∪{−∞,+∞}$f:C\times K\to \mathbb{R}\cup \{-\infty ,+\infty \}$ of G.X.-Z. Yuan’s results concerning the existence of equilibrium points and minimax inequalities for maps f:K×K→R∪{−∞,+∞}$f:K\times K\to \mathbb{R}\cup \{-\infty ,+\infty \}$. Examples are provided.     

A boundary blow-up elliptic problem with an inhomogeneous term

By a perturbation method and constructing comparison functions, we reveal how the inhomogeneous term h$h$ affects the exact asymptotic behaviour of solutions near the boundary to the problem △u=b(x)g(u)+λh(x)$△u=b\left(x\right)g\left(u\right)+\lambda h\left(x\right)$, u>0$u>0$ in Ω$\Omega$, u_|∂Ω=∞$u{|}_{\partial \Omega }=\infty$, where Ω$\Omega$ is a bounded domain with smooth boundary in R^N${\mathbb{R}}^N$, λ>0$\lambda >0$, g∈C¹[0,∞)$g\in C^1[0,\infty )$ is increasing on [0,∞)$[0,\infty )$, g(0)=0$g\left(0\right)=0$, g^′$g^{\prime }$ is regularly varying at infinity with positive index ρ$\rho$, the weight b$b$, which is non-trivial and non-negative in Ω$\Omega$, may be vanishing on the boundary, and the inhomogeneous term h$h$ is non-negative in Ω$\Omega$ and may be singular on the boundary.     

Global attraction to solitary waves for Klein–Gordon equation with mean field interaction

We consider a U(1)$\mathbf{U}(1)$-invariant nonlinear Klein–Gordon equation in dimension n?1$n?1$, self-interacting via the mean field mechanism. We analyze the long-time asymptotics of finite energy solutions and prove that, under certain generic assumptions, each solution converges as t→±∞$t\to \pm \infty$ to the two-dimensional set of all “nonlinear eigenfunctions” of the form ?(x)e−iωt$?(x)e^{-i\omega t}$. This global attraction is caused by the nonlinear energy transfer from lower harmonics to the continuous spectrum and subsequent dispersive radiation.     

Rate of escape and central limit theorem for the supercritical Lamperti problem

The study of discrete-time stochastic processes on the half-line with mean drift at x$x$ given by _μ1(x)→0${\mu }_1\left(x\right)\to 0$ as x→∞$x\to \infty$ is known as Lamperti’s problem  . We give sharp almost-sure bounds for processes of this type in the case where _μ1(x)${\mu }_1\left(x\right)$ is of order x^−β$x^{-\beta }$ for some β∈(0,1)$\beta \in (0,1)$. The bounds are of order t^1/(1+β)$t^{1/(1+\beta )}$, so the process is super-diffusive but sub-ballistic (has zero speed). We make minimal assumptions on the moments of the increments of the process (finiteness of (2+2β+ε)$(2+2\beta +\epsilon )$-moments for our main results, so fourth moments certainly suffice) and do not assume that the process is time-homogeneous or Markovian. In the case where x^β_μ1(x)$x^{\beta }{\mu }_1\left(x\right)$ has a finite positive limit, our results imply a strong law of large numbers, which strengthens and generalizes earlier results of Lamperti and Voit. We prove an accompanying central limit theorem, which appears to be new even in the case of a nearest-neighbour random walk, although our result is considerably more general. This answers a question of Lamperti. We also prove transience of the process under weaker conditions than those that we have previously seen in the literature. Most of our results also cover the case where β=0$\beta =0$. We illustrate our results with applications to birth-and-death chains and to multi-dimensional non-homogeneous random walks.