Paper 2, Section II, K

Applied Probability
Part II, 2019

Let X=(Xt:t0)X=\left(X_{t}: t \geqslant 0\right) be a Markov chain on the non-negative integers with generator G=(gi,j)G=\left(g_{i, j}\right) given by

gi,i+1=λi,i0gi,0=λiρi,i>0gi,j=0,j0,i,i+1\begin{aligned} g_{i, i+1} &=\lambda_{i}, & & i \geqslant 0 \\ g_{i, 0} &=\lambda_{i} \rho_{i}, & & i>0 \\ g_{i, j} &=0, & & j \neq 0, i, i+1 \end{aligned}

for a given collection of positive numbers λi,ρi\lambda_{i}, \rho_{i}.

(a) State the transition matrix of the jump chain YY of XX.

(b) Why is XX not reversible?

(c) Prove that XX is transient if and only if i(1+ρi)<\prod_{i}\left(1+\rho_{i}\right)<\infty.

(d) Assume that i(1+ρi)<\prod_{i}\left(1+\rho_{i}\right)<\infty. Derive a necessary and sufficient condition on the parameters λi,ρi\lambda_{i}, \rho_{i} for XX to be explosive.

(e) Derive a necessary and sufficient condition on the parameters λi,ρi\lambda_{i}, \rho_{i} for the existence of an invariant measure for XX.

[You may use any general results from the course concerning Markov chains and pure birth processes so long as they are clearly stated.]