Markov Chain Importance Sampling with Applications to Rare Event Probability Estimation

Download Markov Chain Importance Sampling with Applications to Rare Event Probability Estimation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 18 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (767 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Markov Chain Importance Sampling with Applications to Rare Event Probability Estimation by : Zdravko I. Botev

Download or read book Markov Chain Importance Sampling with Applications to Rare Event Probability Estimation written by Zdravko I. Botev and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Rare Event Simulation using Monte Carlo Methods

Download Rare Event Simulation using Monte Carlo Methods PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 9780470745410
Total Pages : 278 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (454 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rare Event Simulation using Monte Carlo Methods by : Gerardo Rubino

Download or read book Rare Event Simulation using Monte Carlo Methods written by Gerardo Rubino and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-03-18 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a probabilistic model, a rare event is an event with a very small probability of occurrence. The forecasting of rare events is a formidable task but is important in many areas. For instance a catastrophic failure in a transport system or in a nuclear power plant, the failure of an information processing system in a bank, or in the communication network of a group of banks, leading to financial losses. Being able to evaluate the probability of rare events is therefore a critical issue. Monte Carlo Methods, the simulation of corresponding models, are used to analyze rare events. This book sets out to present the mathematical tools available for the efficient simulation of rare events. Importance sampling and splitting are presented along with an exposition of how to apply these tools to a variety of fields ranging from performance and dependability evaluation of complex systems, typically in computer science or in telecommunications, to chemical reaction analysis in biology or particle transport in physics. Graduate students, researchers and practitioners who wish to learn and apply rare event simulation techniques will find this book beneficial.

Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo Schemes for Rare Event Estimation

Download Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo Schemes for Rare Event Estimation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (119 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo Schemes for Rare Event Estimation by : Hamed Nikbakht

Download or read book Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo Schemes for Rare Event Estimation written by Hamed Nikbakht and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Estimating rare event probabilities is a commonly encountered important problem in several engineering and scientific applications, most often observed in the form of probability of failure (PF) estimation or, alternatively and better sounding for the public, reliability estimation. In many practical applications, such as for structures, airplanes, mechanical equipment, and many more, failure probabilities are fortunately very low, from 10-4 to even 10-9 and less. Such estimations are of utmost importance for design choices, emergency preparedness, safety regulations, maintenance suggestions and more. Calculating such small numbers with accuracy however presents many numerical and mathematical challenges. To make matters worse, these estimations in realistic applications are usually based on high dimensional random spaces with numerous random variables and processes involved. A single simulation of such a model, or else a single model call, may also require several minutes to hours of computing time. As such, reducing the number of model calls is of great importance in these problems and one of the critical parameters that limits or prohibits use of several available techniques in the literature. This research is motivated by efficiently and precisely quantifying these probabilities, often encountered in reliability analysis of complex engineering systems, based on a developed framework termed Approximate Sampling Target with Postprocessing Adjustment (ASTPA), which herein is integrated with and supported by gradient-based Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (HMCMC) methods. Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling is characterized by much better scalability, faster mixing rates, is capable of generating samples with much weaker auto-correlation, even in complex high-dimensional parameter spaces, and has enjoyed broad-spectrum successes in most general settings. HMCMC adopts physical system dynamics, rather than a proposal probability distribution, and can be used to produce distant proposal samples for the integrated Metropolis step, thereby avoiding the slow exploration of the state space that results from the diffusive behavior of simple random-walk proposals. In this work, we aim to advance knowledge on Hamiltonian Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, in general, with particular emphasis on its efficient utilization for rare event probability estimation in both Gaussian and Non-Gaussian spaces. This research also seeks to offer significant advancements in probabilistic inference and reliability predictions. Thus, in this context, we develop various Quasi-Newton based HMCMC schemes, which can sample very adeptly, particularly in difficult cases of high curvature, high-dimensionality and very small failure probabilities. The methodology is formally introduced, and the key theoretical aspects, and the underlying assumptions are discussed. Performance of the proposed methodology is then compared against state-of-the-art Subset Simulation in a series of challenging static and dynamic (time-dependent reliability) low- and high-dimensional benchmark problems. In the last phase of this work, with an aim to avoid using analytical gradients, within the proposed HMCMC-based framework, we investigate application of the Automatic Differentiation (AD) technique. In addition, to avoid use of gradients altogether and to improve the performance of the original SuS algorithm, we study the application of Quasi-Newton based HMCMC within the Subset Simulation framework. Various numerical examples are then presented to showcase the performance of the aforementioned approaches.

Introduction to Rare Event Simulation

Download Introduction to Rare Event Simulation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1475740786
Total Pages : 262 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (757 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Introduction to Rare Event Simulation by : James Bucklew

Download or read book Introduction to Rare Event Simulation written by James Bucklew and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a unified theory of rare event simulation and the variance reduction technique known as importance sampling from the point of view of the probabilistic theory of large deviations. It allows us to view a vast assortment of simulation problems from a unified single perspective.

An Introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo

Download An Introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3030478459
Total Pages : 378 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (34 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis An Introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo by : Nicolas Chopin

Download or read book An Introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo written by Nicolas Chopin and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-10-01 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a general introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods, also known as particle filters. These methods have become a staple for the sequential analysis of data in such diverse fields as signal processing, epidemiology, machine learning, population ecology, quantitative finance, and robotics. The coverage is comprehensive, ranging from the underlying theory to computational implementation, methodology, and diverse applications in various areas of science. This is achieved by describing SMC algorithms as particular cases of a general framework, which involves concepts such as Feynman-Kac distributions, and tools such as importance sampling and resampling. This general framework is used consistently throughout the book. Extensive coverage is provided on sequential learning (filtering, smoothing) of state-space (hidden Markov) models, as this remains an important application of SMC methods. More recent applications, such as parameter estimation of these models (through e.g. particle Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques) and the simulation of challenging probability distributions (in e.g. Bayesian inference or rare-event problems), are also discussed. The book may be used either as a graduate text on Sequential Monte Carlo methods and state-space modeling, or as a general reference work on the area. Each chapter includes a set of exercises for self-study, a comprehensive bibliography, and a “Python corner,” which discusses the practical implementation of the methods covered. In addition, the book comes with an open source Python library, which implements all the algorithms described in the book, and contains all the programs that were used to perform the numerical experiments.

The Cross-entropy Method with Patching for Rare-event Simulation of Large Markov Chains

Download The Cross-entropy Method with Patching for Rare-event Simulation of Large Markov Chains PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 23 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (453 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Cross-entropy Method with Patching for Rare-event Simulation of Large Markov Chains by : Bahar Kaynar

Download or read book The Cross-entropy Method with Patching for Rare-event Simulation of Large Markov Chains written by Bahar Kaynar and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Advanced Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods

Download Advanced Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119956803
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Advanced Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods by : Faming Liang

Download or read book Advanced Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods written by Faming Liang and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-07-05 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are now an indispensable tool in scientific computing. This book discusses recent developments of MCMC methods with an emphasis on those making use of past sample information during simulations. The application examples are drawn from diverse fields such as bioinformatics, machine learning, social science, combinatorial optimization, and computational physics. Key Features: Expanded coverage of the stochastic approximation Monte Carlo and dynamic weighting algorithms that are essentially immune to local trap problems. A detailed discussion of the Monte Carlo Metropolis-Hastings algorithm that can be used for sampling from distributions with intractable normalizing constants. Up-to-date accounts of recent developments of the Gibbs sampler. Comprehensive overviews of the population-based MCMC algorithms and the MCMC algorithms with adaptive proposals. This book can be used as a textbook or a reference book for a one-semester graduate course in statistics, computational biology, engineering, and computer sciences. Applied or theoretical researchers will also find this book beneficial.

Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods

Download Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118014952
Total Pages : 627 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (18 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods by : Dirk P. Kroese

Download or read book Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods written by Dirk P. Kroese and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2013-06-06 with total page 627 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive overview of Monte Carlo simulation that explores the latest topics, techniques, and real-world applications More and more of today’s numerical problems found in engineering and finance are solved through Monte Carlo methods. The heightened popularity of these methods and their continuing development makes it important for researchers to have a comprehensive understanding of the Monte Carlo approach. Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods provides the theory, algorithms, and applications that helps provide a thorough understanding of the emerging dynamics of this rapidly-growing field. The authors begin with a discussion of fundamentals such as how to generate random numbers on a computer. Subsequent chapters discuss key Monte Carlo topics and methods, including: Random variable and stochastic process generation Markov chain Monte Carlo, featuring key algorithms such as the Metropolis-Hastings method, the Gibbs sampler, and hit-and-run Discrete-event simulation Techniques for the statistical analysis of simulation data including the delta method, steady-state estimation, and kernel density estimation Variance reduction, including importance sampling, latin hypercube sampling, and conditional Monte Carlo Estimation of derivatives and sensitivity analysis Advanced topics including cross-entropy, rare events, kernel density estimation, quasi Monte Carlo, particle systems, and randomized optimization The presented theoretical concepts are illustrated with worked examples that use MATLAB®, a related Web site houses the MATLAB® code, allowing readers to work hands-on with the material and also features the author's own lecture notes on Monte Carlo methods. Detailed appendices provide background material on probability theory, stochastic processes, and mathematical statistics as well as the key optimization concepts and techniques that are relevant to Monte Carlo simulation. Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods is an excellent reference for applied statisticians and practitioners working in the fields of engineering and finance who use or would like to learn how to use Monte Carlo in their research. It is also a suitable supplement for courses on Monte Carlo methods and computational statistics at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels.

Optimal Importance Sampling for Simulating Rare Events in Markov Chains

Download Optimal Importance Sampling for Simulating Rare Events in Markov Chains PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 392 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (647 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Optimal Importance Sampling for Simulating Rare Events in Markov Chains by : Indira Kuruganti

Download or read book Optimal Importance Sampling for Simulating Rare Events in Markov Chains written by Indira Kuruganti and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Adaptive Importance Sampling for Uniformly Recurrent Markov Chains

Download Adaptive Importance Sampling for Uniformly Recurrent Markov Chains PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 38 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (546 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Adaptive Importance Sampling for Uniformly Recurrent Markov Chains by : Paul Dupuis

Download or read book Adaptive Importance Sampling for Uniformly Recurrent Markov Chains written by Paul Dupuis and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method

Download Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118210522
Total Pages : 331 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (182 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method by : Reuven Y. Rubinstein

Download or read book Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method written by Reuven Y. Rubinstein and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-09-20 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This accessible new edition explores the major topics in Monte Carlo simulation Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method, Second Edition reflects the latest developments in the field and presents a fully updated and comprehensive account of the major topics that have emerged in Monte Carlo simulation since the publication of the classic First Edition over twenty-five years ago. While maintaining its accessible and intuitive approach, this revised edition features a wealth of up-to-date information that facilitates a deeper understanding of problem solving across a wide array of subject areas, such as engineering, statistics, computer science, mathematics, and the physical and life sciences. The book begins with a modernized introduction that addresses the basic concepts of probability, Markov processes, and convex optimization. Subsequent chapters discuss the dramatic changes that have occurred in the field of the Monte Carlo method, with coverage of many modern topics including: Markov Chain Monte Carlo Variance reduction techniques such as the transform likelihood ratio method and the screening method The score function method for sensitivity analysis The stochastic approximation method and the stochastic counter-part method for Monte Carlo optimization The cross-entropy method to rare events estimation and combinatorial optimization Application of Monte Carlo techniques for counting problems, with an emphasis on the parametric minimum cross-entropy method An extensive range of exercises is provided at the end of each chapter, with more difficult sections and exercises marked accordingly for advanced readers. A generous sampling of applied examples is positioned throughout the book, emphasizing various areas of application, and a detailed appendix presents an introduction to exponential families, a discussion of the computational complexity of stochastic programming problems, and sample MATLAB programs. Requiring only a basic, introductory knowledge of probability and statistics, Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method, Second Edition is an excellent text for upper-undergraduate and beginning graduate courses in simulation and Monte Carlo techniques. The book also serves as a valuable reference for professionals who would like to achieve a more formal understanding of the Monte Carlo method.

Fast Simulation of Rare Events in Markov Level/phase Processes

Download Fast Simulation of Rare Events in Markov Level/phase Processes PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (654 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Fast Simulation of Rare Events in Markov Level/phase Processes by :

Download or read book Fast Simulation of Rare Events in Markov Level/phase Processes written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Methods of efficient Monte-Carlo simulation when rare events are involved have been studied for several decades. Rare events are very important in the context of evaluating high quality computer/communication systems. Meanwhile, the efficient simulation of systems involving rare events poses great challenges. A simulation method is said to be efficient if the number of replicas required to get accurate estimates grows slowly, compared to the rate at which the probability of the rare event approaches zero. Despite the great success of the two mainstream methods, importance sampling (IS) and importance splitting, either of them can become inefficient under certain conditions, as reported in some recent studies. The purpose of this study is to look for possible enhancement of fast simulation methods. I focus on the ``level/phase process', a Markov process in which the level and the phase are two state variables. Furthermore, changes of level and phase are induced by events, which have rates that are independent of the level except at a boundary. For such a system, the event of reaching a high level occurs rarely, provided the system typically stays at lower levels. The states at those high levels constitute the rare event set. Though simple, this models a variety of applications involving rare events. In this setting, I have studied two efficient simulation methods, the rate tilting method and the adaptive splitting method, concerning their efficiencies. I have compared the efficiency of rate tilting with several previously used similar methods. The experiments are done by using queues in tandem, an often used test bench for the rare event simulation. The schema of adaptive splitting has not been described in literature. For this method, I have analyzed its efficiency to show its superiority over the (conventional) splitting method. The way that a system approaches a designated rare event set is called the system's large deviation behavior. Toward the end of gaining in.

Estimation of Rare Event Probabilities in Complex Aerospace and Other Systems

Download Estimation of Rare Event Probabilities in Complex Aerospace and Other Systems PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Woodhead Publishing
ISBN 13 : 0081001118
Total Pages : 217 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (81 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Estimation of Rare Event Probabilities in Complex Aerospace and Other Systems by : Jerome Morio

Download or read book Estimation of Rare Event Probabilities in Complex Aerospace and Other Systems written by Jerome Morio and published by Woodhead Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-16 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rare event probability (10-4 and less) estimation has become a large area of research in the reliability engineering and system safety domains. A significant number of methods have been proposed to reduce the computation burden for the estimation of rare events from advanced sampling approaches to extreme value theory. However, it is often difficult in practice to determine which algorithm is the most adapted to a given problem.Estimation of Rare Event Probabilities in Complex Aerospace and Other Systems: A Practical Approach provides a broad up-to-date view of the current available techniques to estimate rare event probabilities described with a unified notation, a mathematical pseudocode to ease their potential implementation and finally a large spectrum of simulation results on academic and realistic use cases. Provides a broad overview of the practical approach of rare event methods. Includes algorithms that are applied to aerospace benchmark test cases Offers insight into practical tuning issues

Discrete Probability and Algorithms

Download Discrete Probability and Algorithms PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1461208017
Total Pages : 169 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (612 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Discrete Probability and Algorithms by : David Aldous

Download or read book Discrete Probability and Algorithms written by David Aldous and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discrete probability theory and the theory of algorithms have become close partners over the last ten years, though the roots of this partnership go back much longer. The papers in this volume address the latest developments in this active field. They are from the IMA Workshops "Probability and Algorithms" and "The Finite Markov Chain Renaissance." They represent the current thinking of many of the world's leading experts in the field. Researchers and graduate students in probability, computer science, combinatorics, and optimization theory will all be interested in this collection of articles. The techniques developed and surveyed in this volume are still undergoing rapid development, and many of the articles of the collection offer an expositionally pleasant entree into a research area of growing importance.

Markov Chains and Dependability Theory

Download Markov Chains and Dependability Theory PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1139991841
Total Pages : 287 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (399 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Markov Chains and Dependability Theory by : Gerardo Rubino

Download or read book Markov Chains and Dependability Theory written by Gerardo Rubino and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-06-12 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dependability metrics are omnipresent in every engineering field, from simple ones through to more complex measures combining performance and dependability aspects of systems. This book presents the mathematical basis of the analysis of these metrics in the most used framework, Markov models, describing both basic results and specialised techniques. The authors first present both discrete and continuous time Markov chains before focusing on dependability measures, which necessitate the study of Markov chains on a subset of states representing different user satisfaction levels for the modelled system. Topics covered include Markovian state lumping, analysis of sojourns on subset of states of Markov chains, analysis of most dependability metrics, fundamentals of performability analysis, and bounding and simulation techniques designed to evaluate dependability measures. The book is of interest to graduate students and researchers in all areas of engineering where the concepts of lifetime, repair duration, availability, reliability and risk are important.

Introducing Monte Carlo Methods with R

Download Introducing Monte Carlo Methods with R PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1441915753
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (419 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Introducing Monte Carlo Methods with R by : Christian Robert

Download or read book Introducing Monte Carlo Methods with R written by Christian Robert and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the main tools used in statistical simulation from a programmer’s point of view, explaining the R implementation of each simulation technique and providing the output for better understanding and comparison.

Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method

Download Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118632389
Total Pages : 470 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (186 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method by : Reuven Y. Rubinstein

Download or read book Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method written by Reuven Y. Rubinstein and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-10-21 with total page 470 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This accessible new edition explores the major topics in Monte Carlo simulation that have arisen over the past 30 years and presents a sound foundation for problem solving Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method, Third Edition reflects the latest developments in the field and presents a fully updated and comprehensive account of the state-of-the-art theory, methods and applications that have emerged in Monte Carlo simulation since the publication of the classic First Edition over more than a quarter of a century ago. While maintaining its accessible and intuitive approach, this revised edition features a wealth of up-to-date information that facilitates a deeper understanding of problem solving across a wide array of subject areas, such as engineering, statistics, computer science, mathematics, and the physical and life sciences. The book begins with a modernized introduction that addresses the basic concepts of probability, Markov processes, and convex optimization. Subsequent chapters discuss the dramatic changes that have occurred in the field of the Monte Carlo method, with coverage of many modern topics including: Markov Chain Monte Carlo, variance reduction techniques such as importance (re-)sampling, and the transform likelihood ratio method, the score function method for sensitivity analysis, the stochastic approximation method and the stochastic counter-part method for Monte Carlo optimization, the cross-entropy method for rare events estimation and combinatorial optimization, and application of Monte Carlo techniques for counting problems. An extensive range of exercises is provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a generous sampling of applied examples. The Third Edition features a new chapter on the highly versatile splitting method, with applications to rare-event estimation, counting, sampling, and optimization. A second new chapter introduces the stochastic enumeration method, which is a new fast sequential Monte Carlo method for tree search. In addition, the Third Edition features new material on: • Random number generation, including multiple-recursive generators and the Mersenne Twister • Simulation of Gaussian processes, Brownian motion, and diffusion processes • Multilevel Monte Carlo method • New enhancements of the cross-entropy (CE) method, including the “improved” CE method, which uses sampling from the zero-variance distribution to find the optimal importance sampling parameters • Over 100 algorithms in modern pseudo code with flow control • Over 25 new exercises Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method, Third Edition is an excellent text for upper-undergraduate and beginning graduate courses in stochastic simulation and Monte Carlo techniques. The book also serves as a valuable reference for professionals who would like to achieve a more formal understanding of the Monte Carlo method. Reuven Y. Rubinstein, DSc, was Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. He served as a consultant at numerous large-scale organizations, such as IBM, Motorola, and NEC. The author of over 100 articles and six books, Dr. Rubinstein was also the inventor of the popular score-function method in simulation analysis and generic cross-entropy methods for combinatorial optimization and counting. Dirk P. Kroese, PhD, is a Professor of Mathematics and Statistics in the School of Mathematics and Physics of The University of Queensland, Australia. He has published over 100 articles and four books in a wide range of areas in applied probability and statistics, including Monte Carlo methods, cross-entropy, randomized algorithms, tele-traffic c theory, reliability, computational statistics, applied probability, and stochastic modeling.