Poisson approximation for non-backtracking random walks

Details Poisson approximation for non-backtracking random walks Poisson approximation for non-backtracking random walks

2007-05-07

arxiv.org/abs/0705.0867v1

Mathematics

Probability

19 pages

Scientific paper

Random walks on expander graphs were thoroughly studied, with the important motivation that, under some natural conditions, these walks mix quickly and provide an efficient method of sampling the vertices of a graph. Alon, Benjamini, Lubetzky and Sodin studied non-backtracking random walks on regular graphs, and showed that their mixing rate may be up to twice as fast as that of the simple random walk. As an application, they showed that the maximal number of visits to a vertex, made by a non-backtracking random walk of length $n$ on a high-girth $n$-vertex regular expander, is typically $(1+o(1))\frac{\log n}{\log\log n}$, as in the case of the balls and bins experiment. They further asked whether one can establish the precise distribution of the visits such a walk makes. In this work, we answer the above question by combining a generalized form of Brun's sieve with some extensions of the ideas in Alon et al. Let $N_t$ denote the number of vertices visited precisely $t$ times by a non-backtracking random walk of length $n$ on a regular $n$-vertex expander of fixed degree and girth $g$. We prove that if $g=\omega(1)$, then for any fixed $t$, $N_t/n$ is typically $\frac{1}{\mathrm{e}t!}+o(1)$. Furthermore, if $g=\Omega(\log\log n)$, then $N_t/n$ is typically $\frac{1+o(1)}{\mathrm{e}t!}$ uniformly on all $t \leq (1-o(1))\frac{\log n}{\log\log n}$ and 0 for all $t \geq (1+o(1))\frac{\log n}{\log\log n}$. In particular, we obtain the above result on the typical maximal number of visits to a single vertex, with an improved threshold window. The essence of the proof lies in showing that variables counting the number of visits to a set of sufficiently distant vertices are asymptotically independent Poisson variables.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Poisson approximation for non-backtracking random walks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Poisson approximation for non-backtracking random walks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Poisson approximation for non-backtracking random walks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-598268