Computable Bounds on Convergence of Markov Chains in Wasserstein Distance via Contractive Drift

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Qu, Yanlin, Blanchet, Jose, Glynn, Peter
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Qu, Yanlin
Blanchet, Jose
Glynn, Peter
author_facet Qu, Yanlin
Blanchet, Jose
Glynn, Peter
contents We introduce a unified framework to estimate the convergence of Markov chains to equilibrium in Wasserstein distance. The framework can provide convergence bounds with rates ranging from polynomial to exponential, all derived from a contractive drift condition that integrates not only contraction and drift but also coupling and metric design. The resulting bounds are computable, as they contain simple constants, one-step transition expectations, but no equilibrium-related quantities. We introduce the large M technique and the boundary removal technique to enhance the applicability of the framework, which is further enhanced by deep learning in Qu, Blanchet and Glynn (2024). We apply the framework to non-contractive or even expansive Markov chains arising from queueing theory, stochastic optimization, and Markov chain Monte Carlo.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2308_10341
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Computable Bounds on Convergence of Markov Chains in Wasserstein Distance via Contractive Drift
Qu, Yanlin
Blanchet, Jose
Glynn, Peter
Probability
Optimization and Control
60J05
We introduce a unified framework to estimate the convergence of Markov chains to equilibrium in Wasserstein distance. The framework can provide convergence bounds with rates ranging from polynomial to exponential, all derived from a contractive drift condition that integrates not only contraction and drift but also coupling and metric design. The resulting bounds are computable, as they contain simple constants, one-step transition expectations, but no equilibrium-related quantities. We introduce the large M technique and the boundary removal technique to enhance the applicability of the framework, which is further enhanced by deep learning in Qu, Blanchet and Glynn (2024). We apply the framework to non-contractive or even expansive Markov chains arising from queueing theory, stochastic optimization, and Markov chain Monte Carlo.
title Computable Bounds on Convergence of Markov Chains in Wasserstein Distance via Contractive Drift
topic Probability
Optimization and Control
60J05
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.10341