We show that the largest disc covered by a simple random walk (SRW) on $\mathbb{Z}^2$ after n steps has radius n^{1/4+o(1)}, thus resolving an open problem of Révész [Random Walk in Random and Non-Random Environments (1990) World Scientific, Teaneck, NJ]. For any fixed $\ell$, the largest disc completely covered at least $\ell$ times by the SRW also has radius n^{1/4+o(1)}. However, the largest disc completely covered by each of $\ell$ independent simple random walks on $\mathbb{Z}^2$ after $n$ steps is only of radius $n^{1/(2+2\sqrt{\ell})+o(1)}$. We complement this by showing that the radius of the largest disc completely covered at least a fixed fraction $α$ of the maximum number of visits to any site during the first $n$ steps of the SRW on $\mathbb{Z}^2$, is $n^{(1-\sqrtα)/4+o(1)}$. We also show that almost surely, for infinitely many values of $n$ it takes about $n^{1/2+o(1)}$ steps after step n for the SRW to reach the first previously unvisited site (and the exponent 1/2 is sharp). This resolves a problem raised by Révész [Ann. Probab. 21 (1993) 318--328].
It is a fact simple to establish that the mixing time of the simple random walk on a d-regular graph $G_n$ with n vertices is asymptotically bounded from below by $d/ ((d-2)\log (d-1))\log n$. Such a bound is obtained by comparing the walk on $G_n$ to the walk on the infinite $d$-regular tree. If one can map another infinite transitive graph onto $G_n$, then we can improve the strategy by using a comparison with the random walk on this transitive graph (instead of that of the regular tree), and we obtain a lower bound of the form $1/h \log n$, where $h$ is the entropy rate associated with the …
We study quenched distributions on random walks in a random potential on integer lattices of arbitrary dimension and with an arbitrary finite set of admissible steps. The potential can be unbounded and can depend on a few steps of the walk. Directed, undirected and stretched polymers, as well as random walk in random environment, are covered. The restriction needed is on the moment of the potential, in relation to the degree of mixing of the ergodic environment. We derive two variational formulas for the limiting quenched free energy and prove a process-level quenched large deviation principle…
Let R_n be the radius of the largest disk covered after n steps of a simple random walk. We prove that almost surely limsup_{n \to \infty}(log R_n)^2/(log n log_3 n) = 1/4, where log_3 denotes 3 iterations of the log function. This is motivated by a question of Erdős and Taylor. We also obtain the analogous result for the Wiener sausage, refining a result of Meyre and Werner.
We examine escape and entrance times, Green's functions, local times, and hitting distributions of discs and annuli of a symmetric random walk on $\Z^2$ projected onto the periodic lattice $\Z^2_K$. This extends a framework for the simple planar random walk in Dembo, et al. (2006) to the large class of planar random walks in Bass, Rosen (2007). The approach uses comparisons between $\Z^2$ and $\Z^2_K$ hitting times and distributions on annuli, and uses only random walk methods.
We consider one or more independent random walks on the $d\ge 3$ dimensional discrete torus. The walks start from vertices chosen independently and uniformly at random. We analyze the fluctuation behavior of the size of some random sets arising from the trajectories of the random walks at a time proportional to the size of the torus. Examples include vacant sets and the intersection of ranges. The proof relies on a refined analysis of tail estimates for hitting time and can be applied for other vertex-transitive graphs.
We consider a model for random walks on random environments (RWRE) with random subset of the d-dimensional Euclidean lattice as the vertices, and uniform transition probabilities on 2d points (two "coordinate nearest points" in each of the d coordinate directions). We prove that the velocity of such random walks is almost surely 0, and give partial characterization of transience and recurrence for the different dimensions. Finally we prove Central Limit Theorem for such random walks, under a condition on the distance between nearest coordinate nearest points.
Inspired by Benjamini et al (Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré Probab. Stat. 2010) and Windisch (Electron. J. Probab. 2010), we consider the entropy of the random walk range formed by a simple random walk on a discrete group. It is shown in this setting the existence of a quantity which we call the average entropy of the ranges. Some equivalent conditions for the vanishing of the average entropy of the ranges are given. Particularly, the average entropy of the ranges vanishes if and only if the random walk is recurrent or escaping to negative infinity without left jump. In order to characterize the recur…
As known, the commonly-utilized ways to determine mean first-passage time $\overline{\mathcal{F}}$ for random walk on networks are mainly based on Laplacian spectra. However, methods of this type can become prohibitively complicated and even fail to work when the Laplacian matrix of network under consideration is difficult to describe in the first place. In this paper, we propose an effective approach to determining quantity $\overline{\mathcal{F}}$ on some widely-studied tree networks. To this end, we first build up a general formula between Wiener index $\mathcal{W}$ and $\overline{\mathcal{…
We prove existence of intersection exponents xi(k,lambda) for biased random walks on d-dimensional half-infinite discrete cylinders, and show that, as functions of lambda, these exponents are real analytic. As part of the argument, we prove convergence to stationarity of a time-inhomogeneous Markov chain on half-infinite random paths. Furthermore, we show this convergence takes place at exponential rate, an estimate obtained via a coupling of weighted half-infinite paths.
We consider the simple random walk on random graphs generated by discrete point processes. This random graph has a random subset of a cubic lattice as the vertices and lines between any consecutive vertices on lines parallel to each coordinate axis as the edges. Under the assumption that discrete point processes are finitely dependent and stationary, we prove that the quenched invariance principle holds, that is, for almost every configuration of a point process, the path distribution of the walk converges weakly to that of a Brownian motion.
In the present paper we find necessary and sufficient conditions for recurrence of random walks on arbitrary subgroups of the group of rational numbers $\mathbb{Q}$.
We prove bounded rational ergodicity for some discrepancy skew products whose rotation number has bad rational approximation. This is done by considering the asymptotics of associated affine random walks.
We introduce the discrete affine group of a regular tree as a finitely generated subgroup of the affine group. We describe the Poisson boundary of random walks on it as a space of configurations. We compute isoperimetric profile and Hilbert compression exponent of the group. We also discuss metric relationship with some lamplighter groups and lamplighter graphs.
The characterization of record events is considered for a discrete-time random walk model with long-term memory arising from correlations between successive steps. An important feature is that the correlations are strong enough to give rise to super-diffusivity and transience. Various quantities related to record statistics are calculated exactly, highlighting important differences in behaviour from the simple random walk with independent steps.
We analyze the drunkard's walk on the unit sphere with step size theta and show that the walk converges in order constant/sin^2(theta) steps in the discrepancy metric. This is an application of techniques we develop for bounding the discrepancy of random walks on Gelfand pairs generated by bi-invariant measures. In such cases, Fourier analysis on the acting group admits tractable computations involving spherical functions. We advocate the use of discrepancy as a metric on probabilities for state spaces with isometric group actions.
The discrete time quantum walk which is a quantum counterpart of random walk plays important roles in the theory of quantum information theory. In the present paper, we focus on discrete time quantum walks viewed as quantization of random walks on the path. We obtain a weak limit theorem for the time averaged distribution of our quantum walks.
We obtain expected number of arrivals, probability of arrival, absorption probabilities and expected time before absorption for a modified discrete random walk on the (sub)set of integers. In a [pqrs] random walk the particle can move one step forward or backward, stay for a moment in the same state or it can be absorbed immediately in the current state. M[pqrs] is a modified version, where probabilities on both sides of a multiple function barrier M are of different [pqrs] type.
We study the problem of convergence to the boundary in the setting of random walks on discrete quantum groups. Convergence to the boundary is established for random walks on $\hat{\textrm{SU}_q(2)}$. Furthermore, we will define the Martin boundary for random walks on C$^*$-tensor categories and give a formulation for convergence to the boundary for such random walks. These categorical definitions are shown to be compatible with the definitions in the quantum group case. This implies that convergence to the boundary for random walks on quantum groups is stable under monoidal equivalence.
In this paper, we claim that a common underlying structure--a skeleton structure--is present behind discrete-time quantum walks (QWs) on a one-dimensional lattice with a homogeneous coin matrix. This skeleton structure is independent of the initial state, and partially, even of the coin matrix. This structure is best interpreted in the context of quantum-walk-replicating random walks (QWRWs), i.e., random walks that replicate the probability distribution of quantum walks, where this newly found structure acts as a simplified formula for the transition probability. Additionally, we construct a …