This book addresses the processes of stochastic structure formation in two-dimensional geophysical fluid dynamics based on statistical analysis of Gaussian random fields, as well as stochastic structure formation in dynamic systems with parametric excitation of positive random fields f(r,t) described by partial differential equations. Further, the book considers two examples of stochastic structure formation in dynamic systems with parametric excitation in the presence of Gaussian pumping. In dynamic systems with parametric excitation in space and time, this type of structure formation either happens – or doesn’t! However, if it occurs in space, then this almost always happens (exponentially quickly) in individual realizations with a unit probability. In the case considered, clustering of the field f(r,t) of any nature is a general feature of dynamic fields, and one may claim that structure formation is the Law of Nature for arbitrary random fields of such type. The study clarifies the conditions under which such structure formation takes place. To make the content more accessible, these conditions are described at a comparatively elementary mathematical level by employing ideas from statistical topography.

This book provides a rigorous mathematical treatment of the non-linear stochastic filtering problem using modern methods. Particular emphasis is placed on the theoretical analysis of numerical methods for the solution of the filtering problem via particle methods. The book should provide sufficient background to enable study of the recent literature. While no prior knowledge of stochastic filtering is required, readers are assumed to be familiar with measure theory, probability theory and the basics of stochastic processes. Most of the technical results that are required are stated and proved in the appendices. Exercises and solutions are included.

This book has developed over the past fifteen years from a modern course on stochastic chemical kinetics for graduate students in physics, chemistry and biology. The first part presents a systematic collection of the mathematical background material needed to understand probability, statistics, and stochastic processes as a prerequisite for the increasingly challenging practical applications in chemistry and the life sciences examined in the second part. Recent advances in the development of new techniques and in the resolution of conventional experiments at nano-scales have been tremendous: today molecular spectroscopy can provide insights into processes down to scales at which current theories at the interface of physics, chemistry and the life sciences cannot be successful without a firm grasp of randomness and its sources. Routinely measured data is now sufficiently accurate to allow the direct recording of fluctuations. As a result, the sampling of data and the modeling of relevant processes are doomed to produce artifacts in interpretation unless the observer has a solid background in the mathematics of limited reproducibility. The material covered is presented in a modular approach, allowing more advanced sections to be skipped if the reader is primarily interested in applications. At the same time, most derivations of analytical solutions for the selected examples are provided in full length to guide more advanced readers in their attempts to derive solutions on their own. The book employs uniform notation throughout, and a glossary has been added to define the most important notions discussed.

An Introduction to Stochastic Modeling provides information pertinent to the standard concepts and methods of stochastic modeling. This book presents the rich diversity of applications of stochastic processes in the sciences. Organized into nine chapters, this book begins with an overview of diverse types of stochastic models, which predicts a set of possible outcomes weighed by their likelihoods or probabilities. This text then provides exercises in the applications of simple stochastic analysis to appropriate problems. Other chapters consider the study of general functions of independent, identically distributed, nonnegative random variables representing the successive intervals between renewals. This book discusses as well the numerous examples of Markov branching processes that arise naturally in various scientific disciplines. The final chapter deals with queueing models, which aid the design process by predicting system performance. This book is a valuable resource for students of engineering and management science. Engineers will also find this book useful.

Stochastic processes are mathematical models of random phenomena that evolve according to prescribed dynamics. Processes commonly used in applications are Markov chains in discrete and continuous time, renewal and regenerative processes, Poisson processes, and Brownian motion. This volume gives an in-depth description of the structure and basic properties of these stochastic processes. A main focus is on equilibrium distributions, strong laws of large numbers, and ordinary and functional central limit theorems for cost and performance parameters. Although these results differ for various processes, they have a common trait of being limit theorems for processes with regenerative increments. Extensive examples and exercises show how to formulate stochastic models of systems as functions of a system’s data and dynamics, and how to represent and analyze cost and performance measures. Topics include stochastic networks, spatial and space-time Poisson processes, queueing, reversible processes, simulation, Brownian approximations, and varied Markovian models. The technical level of the volume is between that of introductory texts that focus on highlights of applied stochastic processes, and advanced texts that focus on theoretical aspects of processes.

This rapidly developing field encompasses many disciplines including operations research, mathematics, and probability. Conversely, it is being applied in a wide variety of subjects ranging from agriculture to financial planning and from industrial engineering to computer networks. This textbook provides a first course in stochastic programming suitable for students with a basic knowledge of linear programming, elementary analysis, and probability. The authors present a broad overview of the main themes and methods of the subject, thus helping students develop an intuition for how to model uncertainty into mathematical problems, what uncertainty changes bring to the decision process, and what techniques help to manage uncertainty in solving the problems. The early chapters introduce some worked examples of stochastic programming, demonstrate how a stochastic model is formally built, develop the properties of stochastic programs and the basic solution techniques used to solve them. The book then goes on to cover approximation and sampling techniques and is rounded off by an in-depth case study. A well-paced and wide-ranging introduction to this subject.

This concisely written book is a rigorous and self-contained introduction to the theory of continuous-time stochastic processes. Balancing theory and applications, the authors use stochastic methods and concrete examples to model real-world problems from engineering, biomathematics, biotechnology, and finance. Suitable as a textbook for graduate or advanced undergraduate courses, the work may also be used for self-study or as a reference. The book will be of interest to students, pure and applied mathematicians, and researchers or practitioners in mathematical finance, biomathematics, physics, and engineering.

This book provides engineers with focused treatment of the mathematics needed to understand probability, random variables, and stochastic processes, which are essential mathematical disciplines used in communications engineering. The author explains the basic concepts of these topics as plainly as possible so that people with no in-depth knowledge of these mathematical topics can better appreciate their applications in real problems. Applications examples are drawn from various areas of communications. If a reader is interested in understanding probability and stochastic processes that are specifically important for communications networks and systems, this book serves his/her need.

Building upon the previous editions, this textbook is a first course in stochastic processes taken by undergraduate and graduate students (MS and PhD students from math, statistics, economics, computer science, engineering, and finance departments) who have had a course in probability theory. It covers Markov chains in discrete and continuous time, Poisson processes, renewal processes, martingales, and option pricing. One can only learn a subject by seeing it in action, so there are a large number of examples and more than 300 carefully chosen exercises to deepen the reader’s understanding. Drawing from teaching experience and student feedback, there are many new examples and problems with solutions that use TI-83 to eliminate the tedious details of solving linear equations by hand, and the collection of exercises is much improved, with many more biological examples. Originally included in previous editions, material too advanced for this first course in stochastic processes has been eliminated while treatment of other topics useful for applications has been expanded. In addition, the ordering of topics has been improved; for example, the difficult subject of martingales is delayed until its usefulness can be applied in the treatment of mathematical finance.

"The 4th edition of Ghahramani's book is replete with intriguing historical notes, insightful comments, and well-selected examples/exercises that, together, capture much of the essence of probability. Along with its Companion Website, the book is suitable as a primary resource for a first course in probability. Moreover, it has sufficient material for a sequel course introducing stochastic processes and stochastic simulation." --Nawaf Bou-Rabee, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Rutgers University Camden, USA "This book is an excellent primer on probability, with an incisive exposition to stochastic processes included as well. The flow of the text aids its readability, and the book is indeed a treasure trove of set and solved problems. Every sub-topic within a chapter is supplemented by a comprehensive list of exercises, accompanied frequently by self-quizzes, while each chapter ends with a useful summary and another rich collection of review problems." --Dalia Chakrabarty, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, UK "This textbook provides a thorough and rigorous treatment of fundamental probability, including both discrete and continuous cases. The book’s ample collection of exercises gives instructors and students a great deal of practice and tools to sharpen their understanding. Because the definitions, theorems, and examples are clearly labeled and easy to find, this book is not only a great course accompaniment, but an invaluable reference." --Joshua Stangle, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Wisconsin – Superior, USA This one- or two-term calculus-based basic probability text is written for majors in mathematics, physical sciences, engineering, statistics, actuarial science, business and finance, operations research, and computer science. It presents probability in a natural way: through interesting and instructive examples and exercises that motivate the theory, definitions, theorems, and methodology. This book is mathematically rigorous and, at the same time, closely matches the historical development of probability. Whenever appropriate, historical remarks are included, and the 2096 examples and exercises have been carefully designed to arouse curiosity and hence encourage students to delve into the theory with enthusiasm. New to the Fourth Edition: 538 new examples and exercises have been added, almost all of which are of applied nature in realistic contexts Self-quizzes at the end of each section and self-tests at the end of each chapter allow students to check their comprehension of the material An all-new Companion Website includes additional examples, complementary topics not covered in the previous editions, and applications for more in-depth studies, as well as a test bank and figure slides. It also includes complete solutions to all self-test and self-quiz problems Saeed Ghahramani is Professor of Mathematics and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Western New England University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in Mathematics and is a recipient of teaching awards from Johns Hopkins University and Towson University. His research focuses on applied probability, stochastic processes, and queuing theory.