1.II.26I

Applied Probability | Part II, 2008

Let (Xt,t0)\left(X_{t}, t \geqslant 0\right) be an irreducible continuous-time Markov chain with initial probability distribution π\pi and Q-matrix QQ (for short: a (π,Q)(\pi, Q) CTMC), on a finite state space II.

(i) Define the terms reversible CTMC and detailed balance equations (DBEs) and explain, without proof, the relation between them.

(ii) Prove that any solution of the DBEs is an equilibrium distribution (ED) for (Xt)\left(X_{t}\right).

Let (Yn,n=0,1,)\left(Y_{n}, n=0,1, \ldots\right) be an irreducible discrete-time Markov chain with initial probability distribution π^\widehat{\pi}and transition probability matrix P^\widehat{P}(for short: a (π^,P^)(\widehat{\pi}, \widehat{P}) DTMC), on the state space II.

(iii) Repeat the two definitions from (i) in the context of the DTMC (Yn)\left(Y_{n}\right). State also in this context the relation between them, and prove a statement analogous to (ii).

(iv) What does it mean to say that (Yn)\left(Y_{n}\right) is the jump chain for (Xt)\left(X_{t}\right) ? State and prove a relation between the ED π\pi for the CTMC(Xt)\operatorname{CTMC}\left(X_{t}\right) and the ED π^\widehat{\pi}for its jump chain (Yn)\left(Y_{n}\right).

(v) Prove that (Xt)\left(X_{t}\right) is reversible (in equilibrium) if and only if its jump chain (Yn)\left(Y_{n}\right) is reversible (in equilibrium).

(vi) Consider now a continuous time random walk on a graph. More precisely, consider a CTMC (Xt)\left(X_{t}\right) on an undirected graph, where some pairs of states i,jIi, j \in I are joined by one or more non-oriented 'links' eij(1),,eij(mij)e_{i j}(1), \ldots, e_{i j}\left(m_{i j}\right). Here mij=mjim_{i j}=m_{j i} is the number of links between ii and jj. Assume that the jump rate qijq_{i j} is proportional to mijm_{i j}. Can the chain (Xt)\left(X_{t}\right) be reversible? Identify the corresponding jump chain (Yn)\left(Y_{n}\right) (which determines a discrete-time random walk on the graph) and comment on its reversibility.

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