Pascal processes and their characterization (Q1176549)

The authors recall the definition of a special Yule process \(\{Y_ t\}\) and of a Poisson process with randomized rate as well as of a Pascal process. They show the identity of \(\{Y_ t-1\}\), of the Poisson process with a randomized rate based on the negative exponential distribution and a special standard Pascal process with a convenient underlying distribution. They show that every Pascal process can be reduced to a standard one by a deterministic time change, that the record times are i.i.d. but non-homogeneous Poisson processes. They show not only they exist but are important and useful for optimal search strategies based on ranks.