18.
445 Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Lecture 13: Countable state space chains 2
Hao Wu
MIT
1 April 2015
Hao Wu (MIT) 18.445 1 April 2015 1/5
Recall Suppose that P is irreducible.
The Markov chain is recurrent if and only if
Px [τx+ < ∞] = 1, for some x.
The Markov chain is positive recurrent if and only if
Ex [τx+ ] < ∞, for some x.
Today’s Goal
stationary distribution
convergence to stationary distribution
Hao Wu (MIT) 18.445 1 April 2015 2/5
Stationary distribution
Theorem
An irreducible Markov chain is positive recurrent if and only if there
exists a probability measure π on Ω such that π = πP.
Corollary
If an irreducible Markov chain is positive recurrent, then
there exists a probability measure π such that π = πP ;
π(x) > 0 for all x. In fact,
1
π(x) = .
Ex [τx+ ]
Hao Wu (MIT) 18.445 1 April 2015 3/5
Convergence to the stationary
Theorem
If an irreducible Markov chain is positive recurrent and aperiodic, then
lim Px [Xn = y ] = π(y ) > 0, for all x, y .
n
Theorem
If an irreducible Markov chain is null recurrent, then
lim Px [Xn = y ] = 0, for all x, y .
n
Hao Wu (MIT) 18.445 1 April 2015 4/5
Convergence to the stationary
Recall Consider a Markov chain with state space Ω (countable) and
transition matrix P. For each x ∈ Ω, define
T (x ) = {n ≥ 1 : P n (x, x) > 0}.
Then
gcd(T (x)) = gcd(T (y )), for all x, y .
We say the chain is aperiodic if gcd(T (x)) = 1.
Theorem
Suppose that the Markov chain is irreducible and aperiodic. If the chain
is positive recurrent, then
lim ||P n (x, ·) − π||TV = 0.
n
Hao Wu (MIT) 18.445 1 April 2015 5/5
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18.445 Introduction to Stochastic Processes
Spring 2015
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