An Introduction To Discrete Parameter Markov Chains With Stationary Transition Probabilities

Markov Chains

From the reviews: J. Neveu, 1962 in Zentralblatt fr Mathematik, 92. Band Heft 2, p. 343: "Ce livre crit par l'un des plus minents spcialistes en la matire, est un expos trs dtaill de la thorie des processus de Markov dfinis sur un espace dnombrable d'tats et homognes dans le temps (chaines stationnaires de Markov)." N. Jain, 2008 in Selected Works of Kai Lai Chung, edited by Farid AitSahlia (University of Florida, USA), Elton Hsu (Northwestern University, USA), & Ruth Williams (University of California-San Diego, USA), Chapter 1, p. 15: "This monograph deals with countable state Markov chains in both discrete time (Part I) and continuous time (Part II). ... Much of Kai Lai's fundamental work in the field is included in this monograph. Here, for the first time, Kai Lai gave a systematic exposition of the subject which includes classification of states, ratio ergodic theorems, and limit theorems for functionals of the chain."

An Introduction to Discrete Parameter Markov Chains with Stationary Transition Probabilities

Understanding Markov Chains

This book provides an undergraduate introduction to discrete and continuous-time Markov chains and their applications. A large focus is placed on the first step analysis technique and its applications to average hitting times and ruin probabilities. Classical topics such as recurrence and transience, stationary and limiting distributions, as well as branching processes, are also covered. Two major examples (gambling processes and random walks) are treated in detail from the beginning, before the general theory itself is presented in the subsequent chapters. An introduction to discrete-time martingales and their relation to ruin probabilities and mean exit times is also provided, and the book includes a chapter on spatial Poisson processes with some recent results on moment identities and deviation inequalities for Poisson stochastic integrals. The concepts presented are illustrated by examples and by 72 exercises and their complete solutions.