Related papers: Shadows and Barriers
Given an initial (resp., terminal) probability measure $\mu$ (resp., $\nu$) on $\mathbb{R}^d$, we characterize those optimal stopping times $\tau$ that maximize or minimize the functional $\mathbb{E} |B_0 - B_\tau|^{\alpha}$, $\alpha > 0$,…
We study the problem of stopping a Brownian motion at a given distribution $\nu$ while optimizing a reward function that depends on the (possibly randomized) stopping time and the Brownian motion. Our first result establishes that the set…
The classical Skorokhod embedding problem for a Brownian motion $W$ asks to find a stopping time $\tau$ so that $W_\tau$ is distributed according to a prescribed probability distribution $\mu$. Many solutions have been proposed during the…
Given two probability measures $\mu, \nu$ on $\mathbb{R}^d$, in subharmonic order, we describe optimal stopping times $\tau$ that maximize/minimize the cost functional $\mathbb{E} |B_0 - B_\tau|^{\alpha}$, $\alpha > 0$, where $(B_t)_t$ is…
We develop a class of pathwise inequalities of the form $H(B_t)\ge M_t+F(L_t)$, where $B_t$ is Brownian motion, $L_t$ its local time at zero and $M_t$ a local martingale. The concrete nature of the representation makes the inequality useful…
It is well known that given two probability measures $\mu$ and $\nu$ on $\mathbb{R}$ in convex order there exists a discrete-time martingale with these marginals. Several solutions are known (for example from the literature on the Skorokhod…
Suppose $X$ is a time-homogeneous diffusion on an interval $I^X \subseteq \mathbb R$ and let $\mu$ be a probability measure on $I^X$. Then $\tau$ is a solution of the Skorokhod embedding problem (SEP) for $\mu$ in $X$ if $\tau$ is a…
The Skorokhod embedding problem aims to represent a given probability measure on the real line as the distribution of Brownian motion stopped at a chosen stopping time. In this paper, we consider an extension of the optimal Skorokhod…
The Skorokhod embedding problem is to represent a given probability as the distribution of Brownian motion at a chosen stopping time. Over the last 50 years this has become one of the important classical problems in probability theory and a…
Start a planar Brownian motion and let it run until it hits some given barrier. We show that the barrier may be crafted so that the x coordinate at the hitting time has any prescribed centered distribution with finite variance. This…
Given a family $(\mu_\lambda,\lambda\geq0)$ of integrable mean-zero probability measures such that, for every $\lambda\geq0$, $\mu_\lambda$ is the image of $\mu_1$ under the homothety $y\longmapsto\sqrt{\lambda}y$, we provide a necessary…
Given a standard Brownian motion $B^{\mu}=(B_t^{\mu})_{0\le t\le T}$ with drift $\mu \in \mathbb{R}$ and letting $S_t^{\mu}=\max_{0\le s\le t}B_s^{\mu}$ for $0\le t\le T$, we consider the optimal prediction problem: \[V=\inf_{0\le \tau \le…
We consider cost minimizing stopping time solutions to Skorokhod embedding problems, which deal with transporting a source probability measure to a given target measure through a stopped Brownian process. PDEs and a free boundary problem…
We solve the Skorokhod embedding problem for a class of stochastic processes satisfying an inhomogeneous stochastic differential equation (SDE) of the form $d A_t =\mu (t, A_t) d t + \sigma(t, A_t) d W_t$. We provide sufficient conditions…
Given a standard Brownian motion $B^{\mu}=(B_t^{\mu})_{0\le t\le T}$ with drift $\mu \in IR$ and letting $g$ denote the last zero of $B^{\mu}$ before $T$, we consider the optimal prediction problem V_*=\inf_{0\le \tau \le T}\mathsf…
We study the existence, optimality, and construction of non-randomised stopping times that solve the Skorokhod embedding problem (SEP) for Markov processes which satisfy a duality assumption. These stopping times are hitting times of…
We provide a complete characterisation of the Root solution to the Skorokhod embedding problem (SEP) by means of an optimal stopping formulation. Our methods are purely probabilistic and the analysis relies on a tailored time-reversal…
We provide a new probabilistic proof of the connection between Rost's solution of the Skorokhod embedding problem and a suitable family of optimal stopping problems for Brownian motion with finite time-horizon. In particular we use…
We solve the Skorokhod embedding problem (SEP) for a general time-homogeneous diffusion $X$: given a distribution $\rho$, we construct a stopping time $\tau$ such that the stopped process $X_{\tau}$ has the distribution $\rho$. Our solution…
Recent work of Dupire and Carr and Lee has highlighted the importance of understanding the Skorokhod embedding originally proposed by Root for the model-independent hedging of variance options. Root's work shows that there exists a barrier…