Approximating Quasistationary Distributions of Birth–Death Processes

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (04) ◽  
pp. 1036-1051
Author(s):  
Damian Clancy

For a sequence of finite state space birth–death processes, each having a single absorbing state, we show that, under certain conditions, as the size of the state space tends to infinity, the quasistationary distributions converge to the stationary distribution of a limiting infinite state space birth–death process. This generalizes a result of Keilson and Ramaswamy by allowing birth and death rates to depend upon the size of the state space. We give sufficient conditions under which the convergence result of Keilson and Ramaswamy remains valid. The generalization allows us to apply our convergence result to examples from population biology: a Pearl–Verhulst logistic population growth model and the susceptible-infective-susceptible (SIS) model for infectious spread. The limit distributions obtained suggest new finite-population approximations to the quasistationary distributions of these models, obtained by the method of cumulant closure. The new approximations are found to be both simple in form and accurate.

2012 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 1036-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damian Clancy

For a sequence of finite state space birth–death processes, each having a single absorbing state, we show that, under certain conditions, as the size of the state space tends to infinity, the quasistationary distributions converge to the stationary distribution of a limiting infinite state space birth–death process. This generalizes a result of Keilson and Ramaswamy by allowing birth and death rates to depend upon the size of the state space. We give sufficient conditions under which the convergence result of Keilson and Ramaswamy remains valid. The generalization allows us to apply our convergence result to examples from population biology: a Pearl–Verhulst logistic population growth model and the susceptible-infective-susceptible (SIS) model for infectious spread. The limit distributions obtained suggest new finite-population approximations to the quasistationary distributions of these models, obtained by the method of cumulant closure. The new approximations are found to be both simple in form and accurate.


Mathematics ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
Virginia Giorno ◽  
Amelia G. Nobile

We consider a time-inhomogeneous Markov chain with a finite state-space which models a system in which failures and repairs can occur at random time instants. The system starts from any state j (operating, F, R). Due to a failure, a transition from an operating state to F occurs after which a repair is required, so that a transition leads to the state R. Subsequently, there is a restore phase, after which the system restarts from one of the operating states. In particular, we assume that the intensity functions of failures, repairs and restores are proportional and that the birth-death process that models the system is a time-inhomogeneous Prendiville process.


1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaaki Kijima

Let N(t) be an exponentially ergodic birth-death process on the state space {0, 1, 2, ···} governed by the parameters {λn, μn}, where µ0 = 0, such that λn = λ and μn = μ for all n ≧ N, N ≧ 1, with λ < μ. In this paper, we develop an algorithm to determine the decay parameter of such a specialized exponentially ergodic birth-death process, based on van Doorn's representation (1987) of eigenvalues of sign-symmetric tridiagonal matrices. The decay parameter is important since it is indicative of the speed of convergence to ergodicity. Some comparability results for the decay parameters are given, followed by the discussion for the decay parameter of a birth-death process governed by the parameters such that limn→∞λn = λ and limn→∞µn = μ. The algorithm is also shown to be a useful tool to determine the quasi-stationary distribution, i.e. the limiting distribution conditioned to stay in {1, 2, ···}, of such specialized birth-death processes.


1992 ◽  
Vol 29 (04) ◽  
pp. 781-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaaki Kijima

Let N(t) be an exponentially ergodic birth-death process on the state space {0, 1, 2, ···} governed by the parameters {λn, μn }, where µ 0 = 0, such that λn = λ and μn = μ for all n ≧ N, N ≧ 1, with λ &lt; μ. In this paper, we develop an algorithm to determine the decay parameter of such a specialized exponentially ergodic birth-death process, based on van Doorn's representation (1987) of eigenvalues of sign-symmetric tridiagonal matrices. The decay parameter is important since it is indicative of the speed of convergence to ergodicity. Some comparability results for the decay parameters are given, followed by the discussion for the decay parameter of a birth-death process governed by the parameters such that lim n→∞ λn = λ and lim n→∞ µn = μ. The algorithm is also shown to be a useful tool to determine the quasi-stationary distribution, i.e. the limiting distribution conditioned to stay in {1, 2, ···}, of such specialized birth-death processes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-356
Author(s):  
Yong-Hua Mao ◽  
Chi Zhang

For the birth–death process on a finite state space with bilateral boundaries, we give a simpler derivation of the hitting time distributions by h-transform and φ-transform. These transforms can then be used to construct a quick derivation of the hitting time distributions of the minimal birth–death process on a denumerable state space with exit/regular boundaries.


1986 ◽  
Vol 23 (04) ◽  
pp. 1013-1018
Author(s):  
B. G. Quinn ◽  
H. L. MacGillivray

Sufficient conditions are presented for the limiting normality of sequences of discrete random variables possessing unimodal distributions. The conditions are applied to obtain normal approximations directly for the hypergeometric distribution and the stationary distribution of a special birth-death process.


1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 523-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Asmussen ◽  
Offer Kella

We consider a dam in which the release rate depends both on the state and some modulating process. Conditions for the existence of a limiting distribution are established in terms of an associated risk process. The case where the release rate is a product of the state and the modulating process is given special attention, and in particular explicit formulas are obtained for a finite state space Markov modulation.


1986 ◽  
Vol 23 (04) ◽  
pp. 1013-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. G. Quinn ◽  
H. L. MacGillivray

Sufficient conditions are presented for the limiting normality of sequences of discrete random variables possessing unimodal distributions. The conditions are applied to obtain normal approximations directly for the hypergeometric distribution and the stationary distribution of a special birth-death process.


1995 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 226-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Daduna ◽  
R. Szekli

Monotonicity and correlation results for queueing network processes, generalized birth–death processes and generalized migration processes are obtained with respect to various orderings of the state space. We prove positive (e.g. association) and negative (e.g. negative association) correlations in space and positive correlations in time for different situations, in steady state as well as in the transient phase of the system. This yields exact bounds for joint probabilities in terms of their independent versions.


2004 ◽  
Vol 2004 (5) ◽  
pp. 469-489
Author(s):  
P. R. Parthasarathy ◽  
K. V. Vijayashree ◽  
R. B. Lenin

Fluid queue driven by a birth and death process (BDP) with only one negative effective input rate has been considered in the literature. As an alternative, here we consider a fluid queue in which the input is characterized by a BDP with alternating positive and negative flow rates on a finite state space. Also, the BDP has two alternating arrival rates and two alternating service rates. Explicit expression for the distribution function of the buffer occupancy is obtained. The case where the state space is infinite is also discussed. Graphs are presented to visualize the buffer content distribution.


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