Diffusion approximation of branching migration processes

We study the behavior of a Galton-Watson process with homogeneous migration component stopped at zero (i.e., the state zero is absorbing). Assuming that the process is initiated at time zero by a large number of particles, we find a diffusion approximation for this process in the case where the average number of offspring per individual is close to one. Supported by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (grant Nos. 96-01-00338 and 96-15-96092) and INTAS-RFBR (grant No. 95-0099). Proceedings of the Seminar on Stability Problems for Stochastic Models, Hajdúszoboszló, Hungary, 1997, Part III.