Robert C. Dalang - Böcker

Sequential Stochastic Optimization provides mathematicians andapplied researchers with a well-developed framework in whichstochastic optimization problems can be formulated and solved.Offering much material that is either new or has never beforeappeared in book form, it lucidly presents a unified theory ofoptimal stopping and optimal sequential control of stochasticprocesses. This book has been carefully organized so that littleprior knowledge of the subject is assumed; its only prerequisitesare a standard graduate course in probability theory and somefamiliarity with discrete-parameter martingales. Major topics covered in Sequential Stochastic Optimization include:* Fundamental notions, such as essential supremum, stopping points,accessibility, martingales and supermartingales indexed by INd* Conditions which ensure the integrability of certain suprema ofpartial sums of arrays of independent random variables* The general theory of optimal stopping for processes indexed byInd* Structural properties of information flows* Sequential sampling and the theory of optimal sequential control* Multi-armed bandits, Markov chains and optimal switching betweenrandom walks

This volume contains refereed research or review articles presented at the 7th Seminar on Stochastic Analysis, Random Fields and Applications which took place at the Centro Stefano Franscini (Monte Verità) in Ascona , Switzerland, in May 2011. The seminar focused mainly on: - stochastic (partial) differential equations, especially with jump processes, construction of solutions and approximations - Malliavin calculus and Stein methods, and other techniques in stochastic analysis, especially chaos representations and convergence, and applications to  models of interacting particle systems - stochastic methods in financial models, especially models for power markets or for risk analysis, empirical estimation and approximation, stochastic control and optimal pricing. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers in stochastic analysis and for professionals interested in stochastic methods in finance.​

This book presents in thirteen refereed survey articles an overview of modern activity in stochastic analysis, written by leading international experts. The topics addressed include stochastic fluid dynamics and regularization by noise of deterministic dynamical systems; stochastic partial differential equations driven by Gaussian or Lévy noise, including the relationship between parabolic equations and particle systems, and wave equations in a geometric framework; Malliavin calculus and applications to stochastic numerics; stochastic integration in Banach spaces; porous media-type equations; stochastic deformations of classical mechanics and Feynman integrals and stochastic differential equations with reflection.The articles are based on short courses given at the Centre Interfacultaire Bernoulli of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, from January to June 2012. They offer a valuable resource not only for specialists, but also for other researchers and Ph.D. students in the fields of stochastic analysis and mathematical physics.Contributors:S. AlbeverioM. ArnaudonV. BallyV. BarbuH. BessaihZ. BrzeźniakK. BurdzyA.B. CruzeiroF. FlandoliA. Kohatsu-HigaS. MazzucchiC. MuellerJ. van NeervenM. OndrejátS. PeszatM. VeraarL. WeisJ.-C. Zambrini

This volume contains 20 refereed research or review papers presented at the five-day Third Seminar on Stochastic Analysis, Random Fields and Applications which took place at the Centro Stefano Franscini (Monte Verita) in Ascona, Switzerland, from September 20 to 24, 1999. The seminar focused on three topics: fundamental aspects of stochastic analysis, physical modeling, and applications to financial engineering. The third topic was the subject of a mini-symposium on stochastic methods in financial models.