On deterministic approximation for nearly critical branching processes with dependent immigration (Q6540887)

A sequence of branching processes with immigration \((X^{(n)} _k,k\in\mathbb{N}), n\in\mathbb{N},\) with standard independence assumptions for reproduction of individuals is considered. If the sequence \((a_n),n\in\mathbb{N},\) of mean offspring sizes fulfils \((a_n)\to 1, n\to\mathbb{N},\) the branching process sequence is called ``nearly critical''.\N\NFor a nearly critical sequence of branching processes with non-stationary immigration distribution sequences it is proved that under specific scaling the scaled branching process sequence converges to a deterministic function. The result requires specific conditions for regular variation of the sequence of mean and variance of the immigration size distribution and a condition on the offspring variances which is intertwined with the prescribed conditions on the first and second immigration moments.