Ratio limits and Martin boundary

Abstract

Consider an irreducible Markov chain which satisfies a ratio limit theorem, and let $\rho$ be the spectral radius of the chain. We investigate the relation of the the $\rho\,$-Martin boundary with the boundary induced by the $\rho\,$-harmonic kernel which appears in the ratio limit. Special emphasis is on random walks on non-amenable groups, specifically, free groups and hyperbolic groups.