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Advanced Methods for Simulating Generalised Hyperbolic Processes

This article reviews new techniques for modeling complex systems using GH processes.

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Generalised hyperbolic (GH) processes are types of random processes that help us understand complex systems that tend to have extreme events, often seen in fields like finance, biology, and physics. They are particularly useful when we want to capture behaviors that are not well explained by standard normal distributions, which are common in many models.

One of the key features of GH processes is their ability to model "heavy tails." This means that these models can account for the occurrence of rare but significant events that happen more often than traditional models would predict. In finance, for instance, this means they can better represent the risk of rare market moves.

This article discusses new methods for simulating GH processes by using various mathematical techniques. The aim is to create a reliable way to model the underlying random behaviors of these processes.

Theoretical Background

When we analyze random systems in real life, we often use equations that involve randomness, known as stochastic differential equations. These equations typically include a component that describes random movements, modeled by Brownian Motion, which assumes that changes behave according to the Central Limit Theorem.

However, many real-world systems behave differently. For example, financial markets often exhibit behaviors where extreme changes occur more frequently than what a normal distribution would suggest. This indicates that a different type of random process, such as a Lévy process, might be a better fit. Lévy Processes can incorporate both continuous random movements as well as sudden jumps.

Understanding Lévy Processes

Lévy processes are characterized by having independent increments, meaning that the changes in the process over non-overlapping time intervals do not affect each other. They can include both random continuous changes and discrete jumps. There are several types of Lévy processes, including Poisson processes and stable processes.

We primarily focus on a specific class of Lévy processes, namely GH processes, which allow us to model a wide array of heavy-tailed and semi-heavy-tailed behaviors. GH processes can be represented as mixtures of Gaussian processes and are defined using a specific mathematical framework that involves a mixing distribution.

Simulation of GH Processes

Simulating the paths of GH processes is crucial for practical applications, especially in tasks that require risk assessment and decision-making. Traditional methods for simulating Lévy processes can be intricate due to the complexity of the underlying mathematical functions.

We propose a method that involves a technique called subordination, where a Brownian motion is adjusted by a GH process. This method allows for generating the jumps in the GH process more effectively, leveraging the properties of the generalised inverse Gaussian (GIG) process.

Point Process Simulation

We begin with the point process representation of a Lévy process. This involves utilizing sequences of random variables that represent the arrival times and sizes of jumps. The main challenge is to ensure that the simulation is computationally feasible while maintaining accuracy.

To simulate GH processes effectively, we rely on a series representation that captures the jumps accurately. The process begins by generating jumps from the GIG process, followed by applying a generalised shot-noise representation. This representation helps in managing infinite series of decreasing jump sizes.

Adaptive Truncation Methods

Since we cannot simulate an infinite number of jumps in practice, we must truncate our processes after a finite number of terms. Adaptive truncation methods allow us to determine how many jumps to include based on the characteristics of the process being simulated. This helps to minimize computational costs while ensuring that the simulation maintains desirable accuracy.

The truncation can be dynamically adjusted, depending on the realized values, ensuring that we capture enough detail without unnecessary complexity.

Efficient Sampling Techniques

Traditional sampling techniques can be computationally expensive. We introduce a method known as squeezed rejection sampling, which improves the efficiency of generating samples by tightening the bounds on acceptance probabilities. This approach reduces unnecessary computations, particularly when dealing with large datasets or complex parameter settings.

By optimizing the rejection sampling mechanism, we can achieve significant savings in computational time while still producing accurate results.

Practical Applications

The methods described have far-reaching implications across various fields. For instance, in finance, these processes can be used to simulate asset prices that reflect real market conditions more accurately. In biology, they may help in modeling phenomena such as the spread of diseases. In physics, these processes can describe unique behaviors of materials under stress.

Financial Modelling

In finance, understanding extreme events such as market crashes or rapid recoveries is vital for risk management. GH processes allow analysts to simulate these unpredictable behaviors better than standard models, offering improved insights into potential risks.

Biological Systems

In biology, GH processes can model the spread of diseases or the growth patterns of populations under varying environmental conditions. These models provide a more realistic representation of how biological systems behave over time, especially under stress.

Physical Phenomena

Physical systems often display sudden changes, such as the failure of materials or unexpected reactions in chemical processes. By using GH processes, researchers can simulate these events effectively, improving predictions and safety measures.

Conclusion

In summary, the presented methods for simulating GH processes offer a robust framework for understanding complex systems characterized by heavy-tailed behavior. The use of advanced statistical techniques allows us to capture the subtleties of these processes, making them applicable across various domains.

The improvements in simulation accuracy and efficiency open up new possibilities for research and practical applications. As we continue to refine these methods, we expect to see broader adoption in fields that rely on accurate modeling of randomness and uncertainty in complex systems.

The implications of this work are significant, as they may help enhance understanding and decision-making in critical areas such as finance, biology, and physics. Future research will continue to build on these methodologies, expanding their applicability and effectiveness in real-world scenarios.

Original Source

Title: Point process simulation of generalised hyperbolic L\'evy processes

Abstract: Generalised hyperbolic (GH) processes are a class of stochastic processes that are used to model the dynamics of a wide range of complex systems that exhibit heavy-tailed behavior, including systems in finance, economics, biology, and physics. In this paper, we present novel simulation methods based on subordination with a generalised inverse Gaussian (GIG) process and using a generalised shot-noise representation that involves random thinning of infinite series of decreasing jump sizes. Compared with our previous work on GIG processes, we provide tighter bounds for the construction of rejection sampling ratios, leading to improved acceptance probabilities in simulation. Furthermore, we derive methods for the adaptive determination of the number of points required in the associated random series using concentration inequalities. Residual small jumps are then approximated using an appropriately scaled Brownian motion term with drift. Finally the rejection sampling steps are made significantly more computationally efficient through the use of squeezing functions based on lower and upper bounds on the L\'evy density. Experimental results are presented illustrating the strong performance under various parameter settings and comparing the marginal distribution of the GH paths with exact simulations of GH random variates. The new simulation methodology is made available to researchers through the publication of a Python code repository.

Authors: Yaman Kindap, Simon Godsill

Last Update: 2023-03-17 00:00:00

Language: English

Source URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10292

Source PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2303.10292

Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Changes: This summary was created with assistance from AI and may have inaccuracies. For accurate information, please refer to the original source documents linked here.

Thank you to arxiv for use of its open access interoperability.

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