Asymptotically one-dimensional diffusions on the Sierpinski gasket and theabc-gaskets

Summary Diffusion processes on the Sierpinski gasket and theabc-gaskets are constructed as limits of random walks. In terms of the associated renormalization group, the present method uses the inverse trajectories which converge to unstable fixed points corresponding to the random walks on one-dimensional chains. In particular, non-degenerate fixed points are unnecessary for the construction. A limit theorem related to the discrete-time multi-type non-stationary branching processes is applied.     

Estimates of transition densities for Brownian motion on nested fractals

Summary We obtain upper and lower bounds for the transition densities of Brownian motion on nested fractals. Compared with the estimate on the Sierpinski gasket, the results require the introduction of a new exponent,d _J, related to the shortest path metric and chemical exponent on nested fractals. Further, Hölder order of the resolvent densities, sample paths and local times are obtained. The results are obtained using the theory of multi-type branching processes.     

A family of diffusion processes on Sierpinski carpets

We construct a family of diffusions P ^α = {P ^x} on the d-dimensional Sierpinski carpet F^. The parameter α ranges over d _H < α < ∞, where d _H = log(3 ^d − 1)/log 3 is the Hausdorff dimension of the d-dimensional Sierpinski carpet F^. These diffusions P ^α are reversible with invariant measures μ = μ^[α]. Here, μ are Radon measures whose topological supports are equal to F^ and satisfy self-similarity in the sense that μ(3A) = 3^α·μ(A) for all A∈ℬ(F^). In addition, the diffusion is self-similar and invariant under local weak translations (cell translations) of the Sierpinski carpet. The transition density p = p(t, x, y) is locally uniformly positive and satisfies a global Gaussian upper bound. In spite of these well-behaved properties, the diffusions are different from Barlow-Bass' Brownian motions on the Sierpinski carpet. Received: 30 September 1999 / Revised version: 15 June 2000 / Published online: 24 January 2000     

On the asymptotics of the eigenvalue counting function for random recursive Sierpinski gaskets

We consider natural Laplace operators on random recursive affine nested fractals based on the Sierpinski gasket and prove an analogue of Weyl’s classical result on their eigenvalue asymptotics. The eigenvalue counting function N(λ) is shown to be of order λ ^ds/2 as λ→∞ where we can explicitly compute the spectral dimension d _s . Moreover the limit N(λ) λ ^−ds/2 will typically exist and can be expressed as a deterministic constant multiplied by a random variable. This random variable is a power of the limiting random variable in a suitable general branching process and has an interpretation as the volume of the fractal. Received: 22 January 1999 / Revised version: 2 September 1999 /?Published online: 30 March 2000     

Metrics of Hyperbolic Type on Bounded Fractals

On the bounded Sierpinski gasket F we use the set of essential fixed points V ₀ as a boundary and consider the fractal Brownian motion on F killed in V ₀. The corresponding Dirichlet–Laplacian is described in terms of a kind of hyperbolic distance, a metric which explodes near the boundary. We consider Harnack inequalities, Green’s function estimates and (random) products of matrices defining the local energy of harmonic functions. Supported by the DFG research group ‘Spektrale Analysis, asymptotische Verteilungen und stochastische Dynamik.’     

A Grain of Dust Falling Through a Sierpinski Gasket

In this paper we analyze the downward random motion of a particle in a vertical, bounded, Sierpinski gasket G, where at each layer either absorption or delays are considered. In the case of motion with absorption the explicit distribution of the position of the descending particle in the pre-gasket Gn is obtained and the limiting case of the Sierpinski gasket discussed. For the delayed downward motion we derive a representation of the random time needed to arrive at the base of Gn in terms of independent binomial random variables （containing the contribution of delays at different layers with different geometrical structures）.     

On the existence of three solutions for the Dirichlet problem on the Sierpinski gasket

We apply a recently obtained three-critical-point theorem of B. Ricceri to prove the existence of at least three solutions of certain two-parameter Dirichlet problems defined on the Sierpinski gasket. We also show the existence of at least three nonzero solutions of certain perturbed two-parameter Dirichlet problems on the Sierpinski gasket, using both the mountain pass theorem of Ambrosetti and Rabinowitz and that of Pucci and Serrin.     

SOME PATH PROPERTIES OF BROWNIAN MOTION AND SUPER-BROWNIAN MOTION ON THE SIERPINSKI GASKET

1SomeNotationsLetB(t)betheBrownianmotionontheSierpinskigasket.ThisprocesswasfirstconstructedbyM.T.BallotandE.A.Perkins[2],sowewillsdoptthenotationstherein.Forpurposeofsyste~izationsomeboortantnotationswillbereviewedbriefly.LetaO=(0,0),al=(1,0)andaZ==(i,4),letFO={ac,al,a2}bethevenicesOfanequilateraltriangleintheplaneofsideone.DefineinductivelyLetG6=U7=.Fi'GObeGStogetherwithitsreflectioninthey-axis.LetthenG=of(Goo),theclosureOfG.,isnamedtheSierpinskigasket.NowweintroduceG(u):LetG(o…     

Brownian motion on the Sierpinski gasket

Summary We construct a Brownian motion taking values in the Sierpinski gasket, a fractal subset of ², and study its properties. This is a diffusion process characterized by local isotropy and homogeneity properties. We show, for example, that the process has a continuous symmetric transition density, p _t(x,y), with respect to an appropriate Hausdorff measure and obtain estimates on p _t(x,y).Research partially supported by an NSERC of Canada operating grantResearch partially supported by an SERC (UK) Visiting Fellowship     

Measurable Riemannian geometry on the Sierpinski gasket: the Kusuoka measure and the Gaussian heat kernel estimate

We study the standard Dirichlet form and its energy measure,called the Kusuoka measure, on the Sierpinski gasket as aprototype of “measurable Riemannian geometry”. The shortest pathmetric on the harmonic Sierpinski gasket is shown to be thegeodesic distance associated with the “measurable Riemannianstructure”. The Kusuoka measure is shown to have the volumedoubling property with respect to the Euclidean distance and alsoto the geodesic distance. Li–Yau type Gaussian off-diagonal heatkernel estimate is established for the heat kernel associated withthe Kusuoka measure.     

On regularity of superprocesses

Summary Three theorems on regularity of measure-valued processesX with branching property are established which improve earlier results of Fitzsimmons [F1] and the author [D5]. The main difference is that we treatX as a family of random measures associated with finely open setsQ in time-space. Heuristically,X describes an evolution of a cloud of infinitesimal particles. To everyQ there corresponds a random measureX which arises if each particle is observed at its first exit time fromQ. (The stateX _t at a fixed timet is a particular case.) We consider a monotone increasing familyQ _t of finely open sets and we establish regularity properties of as a function oft. The results are used in [D6], [D7] and [D10] for investigating the relations between superprocesses and non-linear partial differential equations. Basic definitions on Markov processes and superprocesses are introduced in Sect. 1. The next three sections are devoted to proving the regularity theorems. They are applied in Sect. 5 to study parts of superprocess. The relation to the previous work is discussed in more detail in the concluding section. It may be helpful to look briefly through this section before reading Sects. 2–5.Partially supported by the National Science Foundation Grant DMS-8802667 and by The US Army Research Office through the Mathematical Sciences Institute at Cornell University     

Escape probabilities for slowly recurrent sets

Summary A setAZ ^d (d>-3) is defined to be slowly recurrent for simple random walk if it is recurrent but the probability of enteringA{z:n<|z|<-2n} tends to zero asn. A method is given to estimate escape probabilities for such sets, i.e., the probability of leaving the ball of radiusn without entering the set. The methods are applied to two examples. First, half-lines and finite unions of half-lines inZ ³ are considered. The second example is a random walk path in four dimensions. In the latter case it is proved that the probability that two random walk paths reach the ball of radiusn without intersecting is asymptotic toc(lnn)^–1/2, improving a result of the author.Research partially supported by the National Science Foundation     

The Lifschitz singularity for the density of states on the Sierpinski gasket

Summary We prove the existence of the density of states for the Laplacian on the infinite Sierpinski gasket. Then the Lifschitz-type singularity of the density of states is established. We also investigate the long-time asymptotics of the Brownian trajectory on the Sierpinski gasket, getting bounds similar to those in the ^d-case.     

Annealed deviations of random walk in random scenery

Let (Zn)_n∈N be a d-dimensional random walk in random scenery, i.e., with (Sk)_k∈N0 a random walk in Zd and (Y(z))_z∈Zd an i.i.d. scenery, independent of the walk. The walker's steps have mean zero and some finite exponential moments. We identify the speed and the rate of the logarithmic decay of for various choices of sequences n(bn) in [1,∞). Depending on n(bn) and the upper tails of the scenery, we identify different regimes for the speed of decay and different variational formulas for the rate functions. In contrast to recent work [A. Asselah, F. Castell, Large deviations for Brownian motion in a random scenery, Probab. Theory Related Fields 126 (2003) 497-527] by A. Asselah and F. Castell, we consider sceneries unbounded to infinity. It turns out that there are interesting connections to large deviation properties of self-intersections of the walk, which have been studied recently by X. Chen [X. Chen, Exponential asymptotics and law of the iterated logarithm for intersection local times of random walks, Ann. Probab. 32 (4) 2004].     

On the cohomology of flows of stochastic and random differential equations

We consider the flow of a stochastic differential equation on d-dimensional Euclidean space. We show that if the Lie algebra generated by its diffusion vector fields is finite dimensional and solvable, then the flow is conjugate to the flow of a non-autonomous random differential equation, i.e. one can be transformed into the other via a random diffeomorphism of d-dimensional Euclidean space. Viewing a stochastic differential equation in this form which appears closer to the setting of ergodic theory, can be an advantage when dealing with asymptotic properties of the system. To illustrate this, we give sufficient criteria for the existence of global random attractors in terms of the random differential equation, which are applied in the case of the Duffing-van der Pol oscillator with two independent sources of noise. Received: 25 May 1999 / Revised version: 19 October 2000 / Published online: 26 April 2001     

Homogenization on nested fractals

Summary We study the homogenization problem on nested fractals. LetX _t be the continuous time Markov chain on the pre-nested fractal given by puttingi.i.d. random resistors on each cell. It is proved that under some conditions, converges in law to a constant time change of the Brownian motion on the fractal asn, where is the contraction rate andt _E is a time scale constant. As the Brownian motion on fractals is not a semi-martingale, we need a different approach from the well-developed martingale method.Dedicated to Professor Masatoshi Fukushima on his 60th birthdayResearch partially supported by the Yukawa Foundation     

Excursion theory for rotation invariant Markov processes

Summary Let (X _t,P ^x) be a rotation invariant (RI) strong Markov process onR ^d{0} having a skew product representation [|X _t |, ], where ( _t ) is a time homogeneous, RI strong Markov process onS ^d–1, |X _t|, and _t are independent underP ^x andA _t is a continuous additive functional of |X _t|. We characterize the rotation invariant extensions of (X _t,P ^x) toR ^d. Two examples are given: the diffusion case, where especially the Walsh's Brownian motion (Brownian hedgehog) is considered, and the case where (X _t,P ^x) is self-similar.     

Some Markov processes with Brownian exit distributions

Summary LetD be a bounded domain inR ^d with regular boundary. LetX=(X_t, P^x) be a standard Markov process inD with continuous paths up to its lifetime. IfX satisfies some weak conditions, then it is possible to add a non-local part to its generator, and construct the corresponding standard Markov process inD with Brownian exit distributions fromD.This work was done while the author was an Alexander von Humboldt fellow at the Universität des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken, Germany