Precise large deviation estimates for branching process in random environment (Q2157454)

The paper concentrates on the branching process in random environment (BPRE) \((Z_n)_{n\geq 0}\) introduced by \textit{W. L. Smith} and \textit{W. E. Wilkinson} [Ann. Math. Stat. 40, 814--827 (1969; Zbl 0184.21103)] as a one of possible generalizations of the classical Galton-Watson process. The aims of the paper are twofold. First, the sharp asymptotic behaviour of large deviations of BPRE is described under mild conditions. Second, it is assumed that the branching process is subcritical, and then the probability of survival up to time \(n,\) i.e., \(P[Z_n > 0],\) decays exponentially fast with the exact asymptotic behaviour described by \textit{J. Geiger} et al. [Ann. Inst. Henri Poincaré, Probab. Stat. 39, No. 4, 593--620 (2003; Zbl 1038.60083)]. Large deviation estimates for the first passage times of the branching process \(Z_n\) and of its total population size are also studied.