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  4. The stochastic heat equation: hitting probabilities and the probability density function of the supremum via Malliavin calculus
 
doctoral thesis

The stochastic heat equation: hitting probabilities and the probability density function of the supremum via Malliavin calculus

Pu, Fei  
2018

In this thesis, we study systems of linear and/or non-linear stochastic heat equations and fractional heat equations in spatial dimension $1$ driven by space-time white noise. The main topic is the study of hitting probabilities for the solutions to these systems.

We first study the properties of the probability density functions of the solution to non-linear systems of stochastic fractional heat equations driven by multiplicative space-time white noise. Using the techniques of Malliavin calculus, we prove that the one-point probability density function of the solution is infinitely differentiable, uniformly bounded and positive everywhere. Moreover, a Gaussian-type upper bound on the two-point probability density function is obtained by a detailed analysis of the small eigenvalues of the Malliavin matrix. We establish an optimal lower bound on hitting probabilities for the (non-Gaussian) solution, which is as sharp as that for the Gaussian solution to a system of linear equations.

We develop a new method to study the upper bound on hitting probabilities, from the perspective of probability density functions. For the solution to the linear stochastic heat equation, we prove that the random vector, which consists of the solution and the supremum of a linear increment of the solution over a time segment, has an infinitely differentiable probability density function. We derive a formula for this density and establish a Gaussian-type upper bound. The smoothness property and Gaussian-type upper bound for the density of the supremum of the solution over a space-time rectangle touching the $t = 0$ axis are also studied. Furthermore, we extend these results to the solutions of systems of linear stochastic fractional heat equations.

For a system of linear stochastic heat equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions, we present a sufficient condition for certain sets to be hit with probability one.

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Type
doctoral thesis
DOI
10.5075/epfl-thesis-8695
Author(s)
Pu, Fei  
Advisors
Dalang, Robert  
Jury

Prof. Thomas Mountford (président) ; Prof. Robert Dalang (directeur de thèse) ; Prof. Clément Hongler, Prof. David Nualart, Prof. Marta Sanz-Solé (rapporteurs)

Date Issued

2018

Publisher

EPFL

Publisher place

Lausanne

Public defense year

2018-06-22

Thesis number

8695

Total of pages

248

Subjects

hitting probabilities

•

stochastic (fractional) heat equation

•

Malliavin calculus

•

probability density function

•

Gaussian-type upper bound

•

supremum of a Gaussian random field

•

space-time white noise

•

capacity

•

Hausdorff measure.

EPFL units
PROB  
Faculty
SB  
School
MATHAA  
Doctoral School
EDMA  
Available on Infoscience
June 14, 2018
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/146860
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