Markov Processes and BirthDeath Processes

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Markov ProcessesandBirth-Death Processes

• J. M. Akinpelu

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Exponential Distribution

• Definition. A continuous random variable X has an
  exponential distribution with parameter ? gt 0 if
  its probability density function is given by
• Its distribution function is given by

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Exponential Distribution

• Theorem 1. A continuous R.V. X is exponentially
  distributed if and only if for
• or equivalently,
• 
  
• A random variable with this property is said to
  be memoryless.

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Exponential Distribution

• Proof If X is exponentially distributed, (1)
  follows readily. Now assume (1). Define F(x)
  PX x, f (x) F?(x),
  and, G(x) PX gt
  x. It follows that G?(x) ? f (x). Now fix x.
  For h ? 0,
• This implies that, taking the derivative wrt x,

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Exponential Distribution

• Letting x 0 and integrating both sides from 0
  to t gives

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Exponential Distribution

• Theorem 2. A R.V. X is exponentially distributed
  if and only if for h ? 0,

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Exponential Distribution

• Proof Let X be exponentially distributed, then
  for h ? 0,
• The converse is left as an exercise.

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Exponential Distribution
slope (rate) ?
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Markov Process

• A continuous time stochastic process Xt, t ? 0
  with state space E is called a Markov
  process provided that
• for all states i, j ? E and all s, t ? 0.
  

known
st
s
0
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Markov Process

• We restrict ourselves to Markov processes for
  which the state space E 0, 1, 2, , and such
  that the conditional probabilities
• are independent of s. Such a Markov process is
  called time-homogeneous.
• Pij(t) is called the transition function of the
  Markov process X.

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Markov Process - Example

• Let X be a Markov process with
• where
• for some ? gt 0. X is a Poisson process.

0
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Chapman-Kolmogorov Equations

• Theorem 3. For i, j ? E, t, s ? 0,

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Realization of a Markov Process
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Time Spent in a State

• Theorem 4. Let t ? 0, and n satisfy Tn t lt
  Tn1, and let Wt Tn1 t. Let i ? E, u ? 0,
  and define
• Then
• Note This implies that the distribution of time
  remaining in a state is exponentially
  distributed, regardless of the time already spent
  in that state.

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Time Spent in a State

• Proof We first note that due to the time
  homogeneity of X, G(u) is independent of t. If we
  fix i, then we have

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An Alternative Characterization of a Markov
Process

• Theorem 5. Let X Xt, t ? 0 be a Markov
  process. Let T0, T1, , be the successive state
  transition times and let S0, S1, , be the
  successive states visited by X. There exists some
  number ?i such that for any non-negative integer
  n, for any j ? E, and t gt 0,
• where

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An Alternative Characterization of a Markov
Process

• This implies that the successive states visited
  by a Markov process form a Markov chain with
  transition matrix Q.
• A Markov process is irreducible recurrent if its
  underlying Markov chain is irreducible recurrent.

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Kolmogorov Equations

• Theorem 6.
• and, under suitable regularity conditions,
• These are Kolmogorovs Backward and Forward
  Equations.

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Kolmogorov Equations

• Proof (Forward Equation) For t, h ? 0,
• Hence
• Taking the limit as h ? 0, we get our result.

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Limiting Probabilities

• Theorem 7. If a Markov process is irreducible
  recurrent, then limiting probabilities
• exist independent of i, and satisfy
• for all j. These are referred to as balance
  equations. Together with the condition
• they uniquely determine the limiting distribution.

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Birth-Death Processes

• Definition. A birth-death process X(t), t ? 0
  is a Markov process such that, if the process is
  in state j, then the only transitions allowed are
  to state j 1 or to state j 1 (if j gt 0).
• It follows that there exist non-negative values
  ?j and ?j,
• j 0, 1, 2, , (called the birth rates and death
  rates) so that,

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Birth and Death Rates

• Note
• The expected time in state j before entering
  state j1 is 1/?j the expected time in state j
  before entering state j?1 is 1/?j.
• The rate corresponding to state j is vj ?j ?j.

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Differential-Difference Equations for a
Birth-Death Process

• It follows that, if
  , then
• Together with the state distribution at time 0,
  this completely describes the behavior of the
  birth-death process.

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Birth-Death Processes - Example

• Pure birth process with constant birth rate
• ?j ? gt 0, ?j 0 for all j. Assume that
• Then solving the difference-differential
  equations for this process gives

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Birth-Death Processes - Example

• Pure death process with proportional death rate
• ?j 0 for all j, ?j j? gt 0 for 1 j N, ?j
  0 otherwise, and
• Then solving the difference-differential
  equations for this process gives

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Limiting Probabilities

• Now assume that limiting probabilities Pj exist.
  They must satisfy
• or

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Limiting Probabilities

• These are the balance equations for a birth-death
  process. Together with the condition
• they uniquely define the limiting probabilities.

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Limiting Probabilities

• From (), one can prove by induction that

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When Do Limiting Probabilities Exist?

• Define
• It is easy to show that
• if S lt ?. (This is equivalent to the condition P0
  gt 0.) Furthermore, all of the states are
  recurrent positive, i.e., ergodic. If S ?, then
  either all of the states are recurrent null or
  all of the states are transient, and limiting
  probabilities do not exist.

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Flow Balance Method

• Draw a closed boundary around state j
• flow in flow out

Global balance equation
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Flow Balance Method

• Draw a closed boundary between state j and state
  j1

?j-1
?j
j1
j
j-1
?j1
?j
Detailed balance equation
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Example

• Machine repair problem. Suppose there are m
  machines serviced by one repairman. Each machine
  runs without failure, independent of all others,
  an exponential time with mean 1/?. When it fails,
  it waits until the repairman can come to repair
  it, and the repair itself takes an exponentially
  distributed amount of time with mean 1/?. Once
  repaired, the machine is as good as new.
• What is the probability that j machines are
  failed?

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Example

• Let Pj be the steady-state probability of j
  failed machines.

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Example
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Example

• How would this example change if there were m (or
  more) repairmen?

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Homework

• No homework this week due to test next week.

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References

• Erhan Cinlar, Introduction to Stochastic
  Processes, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975.
• Leonard Kleinrock, Queueing Systems, Volume I
  Theory, John Wiley Sons, 1975.
• Sheldon M. Ross, Introduction to Probability
  Models, Ninth Edition, Elsevier Inc., 2007.