A General Stochastic Maximum Principle for SDEs of Mean-field Type

We study the optimal control for stochastic differential equations (SDEs) of mean-field type, in which the coefficients depend on the state of the solution process as well as of its expected value. Moreover, the cost functional is also of mean-field type. This makes the control problem time inconsistent in the sense that the Bellman optimality principle does not hold. For a general action space a Peng’s-type stochastic maximum principle (Peng, S.: SIAM J. Control Optim. 2(4), 966–979, 1990) is derived, specifying the necessary conditions for optimality. This maximum principle differs from the classical one in the sense that here the first order adjoint equation turns out to be a linear mean-field backward SDE, while the second order adjoint equation remains the same as in Peng’s stochastic maximum principle.     

Synthesis of Optimal Control for Cooperative Collision Avoidance for Aircraft (Ships) with Unequal Turn Capabilities

This paper presents a synthesis of an optimal control solution for cooperative collision avoidance strategies for aircraft (ships) with unequal turn capabilities in a close proximity coplanar encounter. The analytic expressions for the extremals are presented and their properties are analyzed. Simple algorithms for the synthesis of optimal control are developed. The structure of the synthesis is analyzed and its behavior with a change in the nondimensional turn rate ratio is studied. It is shown that Merz’s solution for identical aircraft (see Merz in Proc. Joint Automatic Control Conf., Paper 15-3, pp. 449–454, 1973; Navigation 20(2):144–152, 1973; Tarnopolskaya and Fulton in J. Optim. Theory Appl. 140(2):355–375, 2009) is a degenerate case of this more general solution. The results of this paper are useful for benchmarking and validating automated proximity management and collision avoidance systems.     

Revisiting Generalized Nash Games and Variational Inequalities

Generalized Nash games with shared constraints represent an extension of Nash games in which strategy sets are coupled across players through a shared or common constraint. The equilibrium conditions of such a game can be compactly stated as a quasi-variational inequality (QVI), an extension of the variational inequality (VI). In (Eur. J. Oper. Res. 54(1):81–94, 1991), Harker proved that for any QVI, under certain conditions, a solution to an appropriately defined VI solves the QVI. This is a particularly important result, given that VIs are generally far more tractable than QVIs. However Facchinei et al. (Oper. Res. Lett. 35(2):159–164, 2007) suggested that the hypotheses of this result are difficult to satisfy in practice for QVIs arising from generalized Nash games with shared constraints. We investigate the applicability of Harker’s result for these games with the aim of formally establishing its reach. Specifically, we show that if Harker’s result is applied in a natural manner, its hypotheses are impossible to satisfy in most settings, thereby supporting the observations of Facchinei et al. But we also show that an indirect application of the result extends the realm of applicability of Harker’s result to all shared-constraint games. In particular, this avenue allows us to recover as a special case of Harker’s result, a result provided by Facchinei et al. (Oper. Res. Lett. 35(2):159–164, 2007), in which it is shown that a suitably defined VI provides a solution to the QVI of a shared-constraint game.     

Perelman’s Entropy and Doubling Property on Riemannian Manifolds

The purpose of this work is to study some monotone functionals of the heat kernel on a complete Riemannian manifold with nonnegative Ricci curvature. In particular, we show that on these manifolds, the gradient estimate of Li and Yau (Acta Math. 156, 153–201, 1986), the gradient estimate of Ni (J. Geom. Anal. 14(1), 87–100, 2004), the monotonicity of the Perelman’s entropy and the volume doubling property are all consequences of an entropy inequality recently discovered by Baudoin and Garofalo, , 2009. The latter is a linearized version of a logarithmic Sobolev inequality that is due to D. Bakry and M. Ledoux (Rev. Mat. Iberoam. 22, 683–702, 2006).     

Optimal buffer size for a stochastic processing network in heavy traffic

We consider a one-dimensional stochastic control problem that arises from queueing network applications. The state process corresponding to the queue-length process is given by a stochastic differential equation which reflects at the origin. The controller can choose the drift coefficient which represents the service rate and the buffer size b>0. When the queue length reaches b, the new customers are rejected and this incurs a penalty. There are three types of costs involved: A “control cost” related to the dynamically controlled service rate, a “congestion cost” which depends on the queue length and a “rejection penalty” for the rejection of the customers. We consider the problem of minimizing long-term average cost, which is also known as the ergodic cost criterion. We obtain an optimal drift rate (i.e. an optimal service rate) as well as the optimal buffer size b ^*>0. When the buffer size b>0 is fixed and where there is no congestion cost, this problem is similar to the work in Ata, Harrison and Shepp (Ann. Appl. Probab. 15, 1145–1160, 2005). Our method is quite different from that of (Ata, Harrison and Shepp (Ann. Appl. Probab. 15, 1145–1160, 2005)). To obtain a solution to the corresponding Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation, we analyze a family of ordinary differential equations. We make use of some specific characteristics of this family of solutions to obtain the optimal buffer size b ^*>0. A.P. Weerasinghe’s research supported by US Army Research Office grant W911NF0510032.     

Decay solution for the renewal equation with diffusion

In this paper we consider age structured equation with diffusion under nonlocal boundary condition and nonnegative initial data. We prove existence, uniqueness and the positivity of the solution to the above problem. Our main result is to get an exponential decay of the solution for large times toward such a study state. To this end we prove a weighted Poincaré–Wirtinger’s type inequality in unbounded domain.     

On Integrability of the Camassa–Holm Equation and Its Invariants

Using geometrical approach exposed in (Kersten et al. in J. Geom. Phys. 50:273–302, [2004] and Acta Appl. Math. 90:143–178, [2005]), we explore the Camassa–Holm equation (both in its initial scalar form, and in the form of 2×2-system). We describe Hamiltonian and symplectic structures, recursion operators and infinite series of symmetries and conservation laws (local and nonlocal). This work was supported in part by the NWO–RFBR grant 047.017.015 and RFBR–Consortium E.I.N.S.T.E.I.N. grant 06-01-92060.     

Variants of Kato’s inequality and removable singularities

An inequality reminiscent of Kato’s inequality is presented. Motivated by this, we discuss some criteria to decide whether a singularity of the equation Δu=g in Ω/K comes from a Radon measure or not. As an application, we extend a lemma of H. Brezis and P. L. Lions on isolated singularities to the case where the singularity lies on a compact manifold. this author was supported by CAPES, Brazil, under the grant BEX 1187/99-6.     

Asymptotic expansions and convergence rates for Euler’s approximations of semigroups

We provide optimal bounds for errors in Euler’s approximations of semigroups in Banach algebras and of semigroups of operators in Banach spaces. Furthermore, we construct asymptotic expansions for such approximations with optimal bounds for remainder terms. The sizes of errors are controlled by smoothness properties of semigroups. In this paper we use Fourier–Laplace transforms and a reduction of the problem to the convergence rates and asymptotic expansions in the Law of Large Numbers. The research was partially supported by the Lithuanian State Science and Studies Foundation, grant No. T-70/09. This paper was written in 2004. In the interim, several related articles were published; let us mention [14, 13, 15].     

A Note on the Subcritical Two Dimensional Keller-Segel System

The existence of solution for the 2D-Keller-Segel system in the subcritical case, i.e. when the initial mass is less than 8π, is reproved. Instead of using the entropy in the free energy and free energy dissipation, which was used in the proofs (Blanchet et al. in SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 46:691–721, 2008; Electron. J. Differ. Equ. Conf. 44:32, 2006 (electronic)), the potential energy term is fully utilized by adapting Delort’s theory on 2D incompressible Euler equation (Delort in J. Am. Math. Soc. 4:553–386, 1991).     

Inequality problems of quasi-hemivariational type involving set-valued operators and a nonlinear term

The aim of this paper is to establish the existence of at least one solution for a general inequality of quasi-hemivariational type, whose solution is sought in a subset K of a real Banach space E. First, we prove the existence of solutions in the case of compact convex subsets and the case of bounded closed and convex subsets. Finally, the case when K is the whole space is analyzed and necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions are stated. Our proofs rely essentially on the Schauder’s fixed point theorem and a version of the KKM principle due to Ky Fan (Math Ann 266:519–537, 1984).     

Asymptotic expansions for the conditional sojourn time distribution in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>/1-PS queue

We consider the M/M/1 queue with processor sharing. We study the conditional sojourn time distribution, conditioned on the customer’s service requirement, in various asymptotic limits. These include large time and/or large service request, and heavy traffic, where the arrival rate is only slightly less than the service rate. The asymptotic formulas relate to, and extend, some results of Morrison (SIAM J. Appl. Math. 45:152–167, [1985]) and Flatto (Ann. Appl. Probab. 7:382–409, [1997]). This work was partly supported by NSF grant DMS 05-03745.     

Aggregation in age and space structured population models: an asymptotic analysis approach

In this paper we describe how techniques of asymptotic analysis can be used in a systematic way to perform ‘aggregation’ of variables, based on a separation of different time scales, in a population model with age and space structure. The main result of the paper is proving the convergence of the formal asymptotic expansion to the solution of the original equation. This result improves and clarifies earlier results of Arino et al. (SIAM J Appl Math 60(2):408–436, 1999), Auger et al. (Structured population models in biology and epidemiology. Springer Verlag, Berlin, 2008), Lisi and Totaro (Math Biosci 196(2):153–186, 2005).     

Kalai-Smorodinsky Bargaining Solution Equilibria

Multicriteria games describe strategic interactions in which players, having more than one criterion to take into account, don’t have an a-priori opinion on the relative importance of all these criteria. Roemer (Econ. Bull. 3:1–13, 2005) introduces an organizational interpretation of the concept of equilibrium: each player can be viewed as running a bargaining game among criteria. In this paper, we analyze the bargaining problem within each player by considering the Kalai-Smorodinsky bargaining solution (see Kalai and Smorodinsky in Econometrica 43:513–518, 1975). We provide existence results for the so called Kalai-Smorodinsky bargaining solution equilibria for a general class of disagreement points which properly includes the one considered by Roemer (Econ. Bull. 3:1–13, 2005). Moreover we look at the refinement power of this equilibrium concept and show that it is an effective selection device even when combined with classical refinement concepts based on stability with respect to perturbations; in particular, we consider the extension to multicriteria games of the Selten’s trembling hand perfect equilibrium concept (see Selten in Int. J. Game Theory 4:25–55, 1975) and prove that perfect Kalai-Smorodinsky bargaining solution equilibria exist and properly refine both the perfect equilibria and the Kalai-Smorodinsky bargaining solution equilibria.     

Statistical Causality,Extremal Measures and Weak Solutions of Stochastic Differential Equations with Driving Semimartingales

In this paper we consider different concepts of causality in filtered probability spaces. Especially, we consider a generalization of a causality relationship “G is a cause of J within H ” which was first given by Mykland (1986) and which is based on Granger’s definition of causality (Granger, Econometrica 37:424–438, 1969). Then we apply this concept on weak solutions of stochastic differential equations with driving semimartingales. We also show that the given causality concept is closely connected to the concept of extremality of measures and links Granger’s causality with the concept of adapted distribution. Finally, the concept of causality is applied on solution of martingale problem.     

Strict Feasibility for Generalized Mixed Variational Inequality in Reflexive Banach Spaces

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nonemptiness and boundedness of solution set for a generalized mixed variational inequality with strict feasibility in reflexive Banach spaces. A concept of strict feasibility for the generalized mixed variational inequality is introduced, which recovers the existing concepts of strict feasibility for variational inequalities and complementarity problems. By using the equivalence characterization of nonemptiness and boundedness of the solution set for the generalized mixed variational inequality due to Zhong and Huang (J. Optim. Theory Appl. 147:454–472, 2010), it is proved that the generalized mixed variational inequality problem has a nonempty bounded solution set is equivalent to its strict feasibility.     

On a class of secant-like methods for solving nonlinear equations

We provide a semilocal convergence analysis for a certain class of secant-like methods considered also in Argyros (J Math Anal Appl 298:374–397, 2004, 2007), Potra (Libertas Mathematica 5:71–84, 1985), in order to approximate a locally unique solution of an equation in a Banach space. Using a combination of Lipschitz and center-Lipschitz conditions for the computation of the upper bounds on the inverses of the linear operators involved, instead of only Lipschitz conditions (Potra, Libertas Mathematica 5:71–84, 1985), we provide an analysis with the following advantages over the work in Potra (Libertas Mathematica 5:71–84, 1985) which improved the works in Bosarge and Falb (J Optim Theory Appl 4:156–166, 1969, Numer Math 14:264–286, 1970), Dennis (SIAM J Numer Anal 6(3):493–507, 1969, 1971), Kornstaedt (1975), Larsonen (Ann Acad Sci Fenn, A 450:1–10, 1969), Potra (L’Analyse Numérique et la Théorie de l’Approximation 8(2):203–214, 1979, Aplikace Mathematiky 26:111–120, 1981, 1982, Libertas Mathematica 5:71–84, 1985), Potra and Pták (Math Scand 46:236–250, 1980, Numer Func Anal Optim 2(1):107–120, 1980), Schmidt (Period Math Hung 9(3):241–247, 1978), Schmidt and Schwetlick (Computing 3:215–226, 1968), Traub (1964), Wolfe (Numer Math 31:153–174, 1978): larger convergence domain; weaker sufficient convergence conditions, finer error bounds on the distances involved, and a more precise information on the location of the solution. Numerical examples further validating the results are also provided.     

Constrained Optimization: Projected Gradient Flows

We consider a dynamical system approach to solve finite-dimensional smooth optimization problems with a compact and connected feasible set. In fact, by the well-known technique of equalizing inequality constraints using quadratic slack variables, we transform a general optimization problem into an associated problem without inequality constraints in a higher-dimensional space. We compute the projected gradient for the latter problem and consider its projection on the feasible set in the original, lower-dimensional space. In this way, we obtain an ordinary differential equation in the original variables, which is specially adapted to treat inequality constraints (for the idea, see Jongen and Stein, Frontiers in Global Optimization, pp. 223–236, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, 2003). The article shows that the derived ordinary differential equation possesses the basic properties which make it appropriate to solve the underlying optimization problem: the longtime behavior of its trajectories becomes stationary, all singularities are critical points, and the stable singularities are exactly the local minima. Finally, we sketch two numerical methods based on our approach.     

Asymptotic convergence of solutions for Laplace reaction–diffusion equations

We study the initial–boundary value problem for a Laplace reaction–diffusion equation. After constructing local solutions by using the theory of abstract degenerate evolution equations of parabolic type, we show asymptotic convergence of bounded global solutions if they exist under the assumption that the reaction function is analytic in neighborhoods of their $\omega$-limit sets. Reduction of degenerate evolution equation to multivalued evolution equation enables us to use the theory of the infinite-dimensional Łojasiewicz–Simon gradient inequality.     

On Ulm’s method using divided differences of order one

We provide new sufficient convergence conditions for the semilocal convergence of Ulm’s method (Tzv Akad Nauk Est SSR 16:403–411, 1967) in order to approximate a locally unique solution of an equation in a Banach space setting. We show that in some cases, our hypotheses hold true but the corresponding ones in Burmeister (Z Angew Math Mech 52:101–110, 1972), Kornstaedt (Aequ Math 13:21–45, 1975), Moser (1973), and Potra and Pták (Cas Pest Mat 108:333–341, 1983) do not. We also show that under the same hypotheses and computational cost, finer error bounds can be obtained. Some error bounds are also shown to be sharp. Numerical examples are also provided further validating the results.