A note on a functional equation arising in Galton-Watson branching processes

1971 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 589-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna B. Athreya
Keyword(s):  
Functional Equation ◽  
Continuous Function ◽  
Generating Function ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Natural Way

The functional equation ϕ(mu) = h(ϕ(u)) where is a probability generating function with 1 < m = h'(1 –) < ∞ and where F(t) is a non-decreasing right continuous function with F(0 –) = 0, F(0 +) < 1 and F(+ ∞) = 1 arises in a Galton-Watson process in a natural way. We prove here that for any if and only if This unifies several results in the literature on the supercritical Galton-Watson process. We generalize this to an age dependent branching process case as well.

A note on a functional equation arising in Galton-Watson branching processes

1971 ◽  
Vol 8 (03) ◽  
pp. 589-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna B. Athreya
Keyword(s):  
Functional Equation ◽  
Continuous Function ◽  
Generating Function ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Natural Way

The functional equation ϕ(mu) = h(ϕ(u)) where is a probability generating function with 1 &lt; m = h'(1 –) &lt; ∞ and where F(t) is a non-decreasing right continuous function with F(0 –) = 0, F(0 +) &lt; 1 and F(+ ∞) = 1 arises in a Galton-Watson process in a natural way. We prove here that for any if and only if This unifies several results in the literature on the supercritical Galton-Watson process. We generalize this to an age dependent branching process case as well.

A limit theorem for a class of supercritical branching processes

1972 ◽  
Vol 9 (04) ◽  
pp. 707-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Doney
Keyword(s):  
General Class ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Generating Functional ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Supercritical Case ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Supercritical Branching Processes ◽  
Convergence In Mean

In the Bellman-Harris (B-H) age-dependent branching process, the birth of a child can occur only at the time of its parent's death. A general class of branching process in which births can occur throughout the lifetime of a parent has been introduced by Crump and Mode. This class shares with the B-H process the property that the generation sizes {ξn } form a Galton-Watson process, and so may be classified into subcritical, critical or supercritical according to the value of m = E{ξ 1}. Crump and Mode showed that, as regards extinction probability, asymptotic behaviour, and for the supercritical case, convergence in mean square of Z(t)/E[Z(t)], as t → ∞, where Z(t) is the population size at time t given one ancestor at t = 0, properties of the B-H process can be extended to this general class. In this paper conditions are found for the convergence in distribution of Z(t)/E{Z(t)} in the supercritical case to a non-degenerate limit distribution. In contrast to the B-H process, these conditions are not the same as those for ξn /mn to have a non-degenerate limit. An integral equation is established for the generating function of Z(t), which is more complicated than the corresponding one for the B-H process and involves the conditional probability generating functional of N(x), x 0, ≧ the number of children born to an individual in the age interval [0, x].

On a functional equation for general branching processes

1973 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 198-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Doney
Keyword(s):  
Functional Equation ◽  
Integral Equation ◽  
Population Size ◽  
General Class ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Random Variable ◽  
Slow Variation ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Class Of Functions

If Z(t) denotes the population size in a Bellman-Harris age-dependent branching process such that a non-denenerate random variable W, then it is known that E(W) = 1 and that ϕ (u) = E(e–uW) satisfies a well-known integral equation. In this situation Athreya [1] has recently found a NASC for E(W |log W| y) <∞, for γ > 0. This paper generalizes Athreya's results in two directions. Firstly a more general class of branching processes is considered; secondly conditions are found for E(W 1 + βL(W)) < ∞ for 0 β < 1, where L is one of a class of functions of slow variation.

Inequalities for branching processes

1966 ◽  
Vol 3 (01) ◽  
pp. 261-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Heathcote ◽  
E. Seneta
Keyword(s):  
Generating Function ◽  
Conditional Distribution ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Random Variable ◽  
Expected Time ◽  
Time To Extinction ◽  
Explicit Formulae

Summary If F(s) is the probability generating function of a non-negative random variable, the nth functional iterate Fn (s) = Fn– 1 (F(s)) generates the distribution of the size of the nth generation of a simple branching process. In general it is not possible to obtain explicit formulae for many quantities involving Fn (s), and this paper considers certain bounds and approximations. Bounds are found for the Koenigs-type iterates lim n→∞ m −n {1−Fn (s)}, 0 ≦ s ≦ 1 where m = F′ (1) &lt; 1 and F′′ (1) &lt; ∞; for the expected time to extinction and for the limiting conditional-distribution generating function limn→∞{Fn (s) − Fn (0)} [1 – Fn (0)]–1. Particular attention is paid to the case F(s) = exp {m(s − 1)}.

The progeny of a branching process

1971 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Doney
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Function ◽  
Asymptotic Behaviour ◽  
Generating Function ◽  
Time Distribution ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Simple Relation ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Image Position

1. Let {Z(t), t ≧ 0} be an age-dependent branching process with offspring generating function and life-time distribution function G(t). Denote by N(t) the progeny of the process, that is the total number of objects which have been born in [0, t], counting the ancestor. (See Section 2 for definitions.) Then in the Galton-Watson process (i.e., when G(t) = 0 for t ≦ 1, G(t) = 1 for t > 1) we have the simple relation Nn = Z0 + Z1 + ··· + Zn, so that the asymptotic behaviour of Nn as n → ∞ follows from a knowledge of the asymptotic behaviour of Zn. In particular, if 1 < m = h'(1) < ∞ and Zn(ω)/E(Zn) → Z(ω) > 0 then also Nn(ω)/E(Nn) → Z(ω) > 0; since E(Zn)/E(Nn) → 1 – m–1 this means that

On a result of Rubin and Vere-Jones concerning subcritical branching processes

1976 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 804-808
Author(s):  
Fred M. Hoppe
Keyword(s):  
Mass Distribution ◽  
Generating Function ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Single Parameter ◽  
Limit Distributions ◽  
Arbitrary Mass ◽  
One To One ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Conditional Limit

If a subcritical Galton-Watson process is initiated with an arbitrary mass distribution, then it is known that under certain conditions proper conditional limit distributions exist, depending on a single parameter. It is shown here that there is a one-to-one correspondence between these distributions and those arising from the process with a linear offspring probability generating function.

scholarly journals On asymptotic properties of sub-critical branching processes

1968 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 671-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Seneta
Keyword(s):  
Generating Function ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Asymptotic Properties ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Image Position

Let Zn be the numer of individuals in the nth generation of a discrete branching process, descended from a single a singel ancestor, for which we put It is well known that the probability generating function of Zn is Fn(s), the n-th functional iterate of F(s), and that if m = EZ1 does not exceed unity, then lim (Harris [1], Chapter 1). In particular, extinction is certain.

On a result of Rubin and Vere-Jones concerning subcritical branching processes

1976 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 804-808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred M. Hoppe
Keyword(s):  
Mass Distribution ◽  
Generating Function ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Probability Generating Function ◽  
Single Parameter ◽  
Limit Distributions ◽  
Arbitrary Mass ◽  
One To One ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Conditional Limit

If a subcritical Galton-Watson process is initiated with an arbitrary mass distribution, then it is known that under certain conditions proper conditional limit distributions exist, depending on a single parameter. It is shown here that there is a one-to-one correspondence between these distributions and those arising from the process with a linear offspring probability generating function.

Mean-square and almost-sure convergence of supercritical age-dependent branching processes

1974 ◽  
Vol 11 (04) ◽  
pp. 678-686
Author(s):  
Edgar Z. Ganuza ◽  
S. D. Durham
Keyword(s):  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Almost Sure Convergence ◽  
Mean Square ◽  
Malthusian Parameter ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Mean Square Convergence ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Successive Generations

Letting Z(t) be the number of objects alive at time t in a general supercritical age-dependent branching process generated by a single ancestor born at time 0, one achieves (Theorem 1) mean-square convergence of Z(t)/E[Z(t)] provided and , where N(t) is the number of offspring of the initial ancestor born by time t and α is the (positive) Malthusian parameter defined by . If the stronger conditions that (Theorem 2) and hold also, then the convergence is almost-sure. It is of interest that the embedded Galton-Watson process of successive generations need not have a finite mean for the conditions of the above theorems to hold. Similar results are obtained for the age-distribution as well.

A limit theorem for a class of supercritical branching processes

1972 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 707-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Doney
Keyword(s):  
General Class ◽  
Branching Process ◽  
Branching Processes ◽  
Generating Functional ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Supercritical Case ◽  
Age Dependent ◽  
Watson Process ◽  
Supercritical Branching Processes ◽  
Convergence In Mean

In the Bellman-Harris (B-H) age-dependent branching process, the birth of a child can occur only at the time of its parent's death. A general class of branching process in which births can occur throughout the lifetime of a parent has been introduced by Crump and Mode. This class shares with the B-H process the property that the generation sizes {ξn} form a Galton-Watson process, and so may be classified into subcritical, critical or supercritical according to the value of m = E{ξ1}. Crump and Mode showed that, as regards extinction probability, asymptotic behaviour, and for the supercritical case, convergence in mean square of Z(t)/E[Z(t)], as t → ∞, where Z(t) is the population size at time t given one ancestor at t = 0, properties of the B-H process can be extended to this general class. In this paper conditions are found for the convergence in distribution of Z(t)/E{Z(t)} in the supercritical case to a non-degenerate limit distribution. In contrast to the B-H process, these conditions are not the same as those for ξn/mn to have a non-degenerate limit. An integral equation is established for the generating function of Z(t), which is more complicated than the corresponding one for the B-H process and involves the conditional probability generating functional of N(x), x 0, ≧ the number of children born to an individual in the age interval [0, x].

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