Boundary Value Problems and Markov Processes

This 3rd edition provides an insight into the mathematical crossroads formed by functional analysis (the macroscopic approach), partial differential equations (the mesoscopic approach) and probability (the microscopic approach) via the mathematics needed for the hard parts of Markov processes. This 3rd edition provides an insight into the mathematical crossroads formed by functional analysis (the macroscopic approach), partial differential equations (the mesoscopic approach) and probability (the microscopic approach) via the mathematics needed for the hard parts of Markov processes. It brings these three fields of analysis together, providing a comprehensive study of Markov processes from a broad perspective. The material is carefully and effectively explained, resulting in a surprisingly readable account of the subject. The main focus is on a powerful method for future research in elliptic boundary value problems and Markov processes via semigroups, the Boutet de Monvel calculus. A broad spectrum of readers will easily appreciate the stochastic intuition that this edition conveys. In fact, the book will provide a solid foundation for both researchers and graduate students in pure and applied mathematics interested in functional analysis, partial differential equations, Markov processes and the theory of pseudo-differential operators, a modern version of the classical potential theory. This 3rd edition provides an insight into the mathematical crossroads formed by functional analysis (the macroscopic approach), partial differential equations (the mesoscopic approach) and probability (the microscopic approach) via the mathematics needed for the hard parts of Markov processes. It brings these three fields of analysis together, providing a comprehensive study of Markov processes from a broad perspective. The material is carefully and effectively explained, resulting in a surprisingly readable account of the subject. The main focus is on a powerful method for future research in elliptic boundary value problems and Markov processes via semigroups, the Boutet de Monvel calculus. A broad spectrum of readers will easily appreciate the stochastic intuition that this edition conveys. In fact, the book will provide a solid foundation for both researchers and graduate students in pure and applied mathematics interested in functional analysis, partial differential equations, Markov processes and the theory of pseudo-differential operators, a modern version of the classical potential theory.

Focussing on the interrelations of the subjects of Markov processes, analytic semigroups and elliptic boundary value problems, this monograph provides a careful and accessible exposition of functional methods in stochastic analysis. The author studies a class of boundary value problems for second-order elliptic differential operators which includes as particular cases the Dirichlet and Neumann problems, and proves that this class of boundary value problems provides a new example of analytic semigroups both in the Lp topology and in the topology of uniform convergence. As an application, one can construct analytic semigroups corresponding to the diffusion phenomenon of a Markovian particle moving continuously in the state space until it 'dies', at which time it reaches the set where the absorption phenomenon occurs. A class of initial-boundary value problems for semilinear parabolic differential equations is also considered. This monograph will appeal to both advanced students and researchers as an introduction to the three interrelated subjects in analysis, providing powerful methods for continuing research.