Random Motions in Markov and Semi-Markov Random Environments 1

This book is the first of two volumes on random motions in Markov and semi-Markov random environments. This first volume focuses on homogenous random motions. This volume consists of two parts, the first describing the basic concepts and methods that have been developed for random evolutions. These methods are the foundational tools used in both volumes, and this description includes many results in potential operators. Some techniques to find closed-form expressions in relevant applications are also presented. The second part deals with asymptotic results and presents a variety of applications, including random motion with different types of boundaries, the reliability of storage systems and solutions of partial differential equations with constant coefficients, using commutative algebra techniques. It also presents an alternative formulation to the Black-Scholes formula in finance, fading evolutions and telegraph processes, including jump telegraph processes and the estimation of the number of level crossings for telegraph processes.