Singular stochastic control and optimal stopping with partial information of jump diffusions
We study partial information, possibly non-Markovian, singular stochastic control of jump diffusions and obtain general maximum principles. The results are used to find connections between singular stochastic control, reflected BSDEs and optimal stopping in the partial information case. Mathematics Subject Classification 2010: 93E20, 60H07, 60H10, 60HXX, 60J75
Stochastic Control for Mean-Field Stochastic Partial Differential Equations with Jumps
We study optimal control for mean-field stochastic partial differential equations (stochastic evolution equations) driven by a Brownian motion and an independent Poisson random measure, in case of partial information control. One important novelty of our problem is represented by the introduction of general mean-field operators, acting on both the controlled state process and the control process. We first formulate a sufficient and a necessary maximum principle for this type of control. We then prove the existence and uniqueness of the solution of such general forward and backward mean-field stochastic partial differential equations. We apply our results to find the explicit optimal control for an optimal harvesting problem.
Aging live Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals
This study describes a method for extracting post-canine or incisor teeth from live antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) and southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) respectively and their use to determine age in a field situation. Dental elevators were used to loosen the teeth from the alveolus and periodental ligament. Most teeth were removed within l-2 min and a total of 214 and 81 teeth were collected by this method from antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals respectively. No seal recaptured at intervals up to a year after a tooth was extracted showed signs of infection or distress related to removal of the tooth. Teeth were thin-sectioned for the purpose of aging. In both species cementum growth layer groups were a more satisfactory indicator of age than dentinal growth layer groups. Estimates of age from cementum growth layers were confirmed for Antarctic fur seals using seals which had been tagged as pups up to 16 yr before sampling.