On decay-surge population models

Abstract

We consider continuous space-time decay-surge population models which are semi- stochastic processes for which deterministically declining populations, bound to fade away, are rein- vigorated at random times by bursts or surges of random sizes. In a particular separable framework (in a sense made precise below) we provide explicit formulae for the scale (or harmonic) function and the speed measure of the process. The behavior of the scale function at infinity allows to formulate conditions under which such processes either explode or are transient at infinity, or Harris recurrent. A description of the structures of both the discrete-time embedded chain and extreme record chain of such continuous-time processes is supplied.