On branching process with rare neutral mutation (Q2405228)

This paper extends earlier work by \textit{J. Bertoin} [Stochastic Processes Appl. 120, No. 5, 678--697 (2010; Zbl 1193.60099)] on Galton-Watson branching processes with neutral mutations (the infinite alleles model) in the situation where the initial population is large and the mutation rate is small. In this model, an individual is called a mutant if it has a different allelic type than its parent. The authors construct a version of the process \((T_n,M_{n+1})_n\) of individuals with \(n\) mutations and mutants with \(n+1\) mutations, respectively, conditionally given nonextinction of mutants. The authors further prove convergence in distribution of the process of the sizes of the allelic sub-families when the reproduction law has infinite variance and is in the domain of attraction of an \(\alpha\)-stable law where \(\alpha \in (1,2)\) for the unconditioned process and for the process conditioned on nonextinction.