Skip to main content
Log in

Random Lazy Random Walks on Arbitrary Finite Groups

  • Published:
Journal of Theoretical Probability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper considers “lazy” random walks supported on a random subset of k elements of a finite group G with order n. If k=⌈a log2 n⌉ where a>1 is constant, then most such walks take no more than a multiple of log2 n steps to get close to uniformly distributed on G. If k=log2 n+f(n) where f(n)→∞ and f(n)/log2 n→0 as n→∞, then most such walks take no more than a multiple of (log2 n) ln(log2 n) steps to get close to uniformly distributed. To get these results, this paper extends techniques of Erdös and Rényi and of Pak.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Aldous, D., and Diaconis, P. (1987). Strong uniform times and finite random walks. Adv. Appl. Math. 8, 69–97.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Dai, J. (1998). Some results concerning rates of convergence of random walks on finite group. Stat. Prob. Letters 37, 15–17.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Diaconis, P. (1988). Group Representations in Probability andStatistics, Institute of Mathematical Statistics, Hayward, California.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Dou, C. (1992). Studies of random walks on groups and random graphs. Ph.D. thesis, Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

  5. Dou, C., and Hildebrand, M. (1996). Enumeration and random random walks on finite groups. Ann. Probab. 24, 987–1000.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Erdös, P., and Hall, R. (1976). Probabilistic methods in group theory II. Houston J. Math. 2, 173–180.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Erdös, P., and Rényi, A. (1965). Probabilistic methods in group theory. J. Analyse Math. 14, 127–138.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Feller, W. (1968). An Introduction to Probability Theory and Its Applications, Vol. I, 3rd ed., Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Fraleigh, J. (1994). A First Course in Abstract Algebra, 5th ed., Addison–Wesley, Reading, Massachusetts.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Greenhalgh, A. (1989). Random walks on groups with subgroup invariance properties. Ph.D. thesis, Department of Mathematics, Stanford University.

  11. Greenhalgh, A. (1997). A model for random random-walks on finite groups. Combin. Probab. Comput. 6, 49–56.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hildebrand, M. (1994). Random walks supported on random points of Z /n Z. Prob. Theory RelatedFields 100, 191–203.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Pak, I. (1999). Random walks on finite groups with few random generators. Electron. J. Prob. 4, 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Roichman, Y. (1996). On random random walks. Ann. Prob. 24, 1001–1011.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Ross, K., and Xu, D. (1993). A comparison theorem on convergence rates of random walks on groups. J. Theor. Prob. 6, 323–343.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Wilson, D. (1997). Random random walks on Z d 2. Prob. Theory RelatedField s 108, 441–457.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hildebrand, M. Random Lazy Random Walks on Arbitrary Finite Groups. Journal of Theoretical Probability 14, 1019–1034 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012529020690

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012529020690

Navigation