An urn model with Bernoulli removals and independent additions (Q579778)

The paper deals with a single urn model in which the number \(X_{n+1}\) of balls in the urn at time \(n+1\) is determined in such a way that (a) each ball in the urn at time n is removed with probability \(1-p_{n+1}\) independently of others; (b) a random number \(V_{n+1}\) of new balls are added to the urn independently of the number of balls remaining after step (a) (it is a special inhomogeneous branching process). The distribution, moments and asymptotic behaviour of \(X_ n\) are investigated (specially if \(V_ n\) has the Poisson or binomial distribution or \(V_ n=0)\). The model was motivated by an imperfect debugging scheme in which the balls represent flaws in a system.