Branching random walk in varying environments

Abstract

The branching random walk model is generalized towards generation-dependent displacement and reproduction distributions. Asymptotic theory of branching random walk in varying environments from the L2 point of view is given. If Zn(x) is the number of nth-generation particles to the left of x, then under appropriate conditions for suitably chosen xn, Zn (xn)/Zn (+∞) converges in L2 completely to a limiting distribution. Sufficient conditions for almost sure convergence are given. As a corollary an analogue of the central limit theorem for the proportion of particles of the nth generation in time interval In in the age-dependent Crump–Mode–Jagers process is obtained.