Discrete-Time Markov Chains: Two-Time-Scale Methods and Applications (Stochastic Modelling and Applied Probability, 55) - Softcover

Yin, G. George George; Zhang, Qing

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1441919554 ISBN 13: 9781441919557

Publisher: Springer, 2010

Synopsis

This book focuses on two-time-scale Markov chains in discrete time. Our motivation stems from existing and emerging applications in optimization and control of complex systems in manufacturing, wireless communication, and ?nancial engineering. Much of our e?ort in this book is devoted to designing system models arising from various applications, analyzing them via analytic and probabilistic techniques, and developing feasible compu- tionalschemes. Ourmainconcernistoreducetheinherentsystemcompl- ity. Although each of the applications has its own distinct characteristics, all of them are closely related through the modeling of uncertainty due to jump or switching random processes. Oneofthesalientfeaturesofthisbookistheuseofmulti-timescalesin Markovprocessesandtheirapplications. Intuitively,notallpartsorcom- nents of a large-scale system evolve at the same rate. Some of them change rapidly and others vary slowly. The di?erent rates of variations allow us to reduce complexity via decomposition and aggregation. It would be ideal if we could divide a large system into its smallest irreducible subsystems completely separable from one another and treat each subsystem indep- dently. However, this is often infeasible in reality due to various physical constraints and other considerations. Thus, we have to deal with situations in which the systems are only nearly decomposable in the sense that there are weak links among the irreducible subsystems, which dictate the oc- sional regime changes of the system. An e?ective way to treat such near decomposability is time-scale separation. That is, we set up the systems as if there were two time scales, fast vs. slow. xii Preface Followingthetime-scaleseparation,weusesingularperturbationmeth- ology to treat the underlying systems.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Focusing on discrete-time-scale Markov chains, the contents of this book are an outgrowth of some of the authors' recent research.  The motivation stems from existing and emerging applications in optimization and control of complex hybrid Markovian systems in manufacturing, wireless communication, and financial engineering.  Much effort in this book is devoted to designing system models arising from these applications, analyzing them via analytic and probabilistic techniques, and developing feasible computational algorithms so as to reduce the inherent complexity.

This book presents results including asymptotic expansions of probability vectors, structural properties of occupation measures, exponential bounds, aggregation and decomposition and associated limit processes, and interface of discrete-time and continuous-time systems.  One of the salient features is that it contains a diverse range of applications on filtering, estimation, control, optimization, and Markov decision processes, and financial engineering.  This book will be an important reference for researchers in the areas of applied probability, control theory, operations research, as well as for practitioners who use optimization techniques.  Part of the book can also be used in a graduate course of applied probability, stochastic processes, and applications.

Review

From the reviews:

"Discrete-time Markov chains are the basic building blocks for understanding random dynamic phenomena, in preparation for more complex situations. ... the book is a research monograph based largely on the author’s own work. ... The book does ... fill an important niche in the literature on singularly perturbed Markov chains. ... the book will be useful to applied probabilities and engineers who deal with such systems. Other than this, the book’s primary audience is other researchers in singulary perturbed Markov chains." (IEEE Control Systems Magazine, December, 2005)

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1441919554
• ISBN 13: 9781441919557
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 367