On Null-Recurrent Markov Chains

Abstract

Throughout this paper, the symbol P = [Pij] will represent the transition probability matrix of an irreducible, null-recurrent Markov process in discrete time. Explanation of this terminology and basic facts about such chains may be found in (6, ch. 15). It is known (3) that for each such matrix P there is a unique (except for a positive scalar multiple) positive vector Q = {qi} such that QP = Q, or1this vector is often called the "invariant measure" of the Markov chain.The first problem to be considered in this paper is that of determining for which vectors U(0) = {μi(0)} the vectors U(n) converge, or are summable, to the invariant measure Q, where U(n) = U(0)Pn has components2In § 2, this problem is attacked for general P. The main result is a negative one, and shows how to form U(0) for which U(n) will not be (termwise) Abel summable.