Parallel and bootstrapped stochastic approximation

Parallelization of stochastic approximation procedures can reduce computation and total observation time of a system. Concerning the number of all observations used by the pure sequential and the suggested parallel method a weak invariance principle implies the asymptotic equivalence of both methods. A loglog invariance principle and a rate of a.s. convergence result describe the pathwise properties. Due to the parallel design asymptotic confidence regions can readily be constructed either by computing the bootstrap distribution or the Gaussian limit distribution determined by the empirical covariance     

Asymptotics of the 1/2-dimension,Discrete Airy Equation and its Approximating Differential Equation

A discrete finite difference model is constructed for the Airy equation using a nonstandard scheme formulated by Mickens and Ramadhani. The method of dominant balance is then applied to obtain a first-order difference equation for the solution that increases sufficiently fast as k→∞. We then calculate the corresponding approximating differential equation and obtain its exact solution as well as its “exact” discrete finite difference representation. The application of various symmetry operations allows the determination of the related rapidly decreasing solution and the oscillatory solutions for negative values of x k>=hk, where h=?x.     

Regularity of the Local Time for the d-dimensional Fractional Brownian Motion with N-parameters

ABSTRACT

We give the Wiener–Ito? chaotic decomposition for the local time of the d-dimensional fractional Brownian motion with N-parameters and study its smoothness in the Sobolev–Watanabe spaces.     

Coupling and mixing times in a Markov chain

The derivation of the expected time to coupling in a Markov chain and its relation to the expected time to mixing (as introduced by the author [J.J. Hunter, Mixing times with applications to perturbed Markov chains, Linear Algebra Appl. 417 (2006) 108-123] are explored. The two-state cases and three-state cases are examined in detail.     

The proof of the Lane-Emden conjecture in four space dimensions

We partially solve a well-known conjecture about the nonexistence of positive entire solutions to elliptic systems of Lane-Emden type when the pair of exponents lies below the critical Sobolev hyperbola. Up to now, the conjecture had been proved for radial solutions, or in n?3 space dimensions, or in certain subregions below the critical hyperbola for n?4. We here establish the conjecture in four space dimensions and we obtain a new region of nonexistence for n?5. Our proof is based on a delicate combination involving Rellich-Pohozaev type identities, a comparison property between components via the maximum principle, Sobolev and interpolation inequalities on Sn−1, and feedback and measure arguments. Such Liouville-type nonexistence results have many applications in the study of nonvariational elliptic systems.     

Stochastic Cahn–Hilliard equation with singular nonlinearity and reflection

We consider a stochastic partial differential equation with logarithmic (or negative power) nonlinearity, with one reflection at 0 and with a constraint of conservation of the space average. The equation, driven by the derivative in space of a space–time white noise, contains a bi-Laplacian in the drift. The lack of the maximum principle for the bi-Laplacian generates difficulties for the classical penalization method, which uses a crucial monotonicity property. Being inspired by the works of Debussche and Zambotti, we use a method based on infinite dimensional equations, approximation by regular equations and convergence of the approximated semigroup. We obtain existence and uniqueness of a solution for nonnegative initial conditions, results on the invariant measures, and on the reflection measures.     

Boundary Harnack principle for subordinate Brownian motions

We establish a boundary Harnack principle for a large class of subordinate Brownian motions, including mixtures of symmetric stable processes, in κ$\kappa$-fat open sets (disconnected analogue of John domains). As an application of the boundary Harnack principle, we identify the Martin boundary and the minimal Martin boundary of bounded κ$\kappa$-fat open sets with respect to these processes with their Euclidean boundaries.     

Superconvergence of discontinuous Galerkin methods for hyperbolic systems

In this paper, the discontinuous Galerkin method for the positive and symmetric, linear hyperbolic systems is constructed and analyzed by using bilinear finite elements on a rectangular domain, and an O(h²)$O\left(h^2\right)$-order superconvergence error estimate is established under the conditions of almost uniform partition and the H³$H^3$-regularity for the exact solutions. The convergence analysis is based on some superclose estimates derived in this paper. Finally, as an application, the numerical treatment of Maxwell equation is discussed and computational results are presented.     

Two-grid methods for finite volume element approximations of nonlinear parabolic equations

Two-grid methods are studied for solving a two dimensional nonlinear parabolic equation using finite volume element method. The methods are based on one coarse-grid space and one fine-grid space. The nonsymmetric and nonlinear iterations are only executed on the coarse grid and the fine-grid solution can be obtained in a single symmetric and linear step. It is proved that the coarse grid can be much coarser than the fine grid. The two-grid methods achieve asymptotically optimal approximation as long as the mesh sizes satisfy h=O(H³|lnH|)$h=O\left(H^3|lnH|\right)$. As a result, solving such a large class of nonlinear parabolic equations will not be much more difficult than solving one single linearized equation.