Adaptive Finite State Projection with Quantile-Based Pruning for Solving the Chemical Master Equation

Abstract

We present an adaptive Finite State Projection (FSP) method for efficiently solving the Chemical Master Equation (CME) with rigorous error control. Our approach integrates time-stepping with dynamic state-space truncation, balancing accuracy and computational cost. Krylov subspace methods approximate the matrix exponential, while quantile-based pruning controls state-space growth by removing low-probability states. Theoretical error bounds ensure that the truncation error remains bounded by the pruned mass at each step, which is user-controlled, and does not propagate forward in time. Numerical experiments on biochemical systems, including the Lotka-Volterra and Michaelis-Menten and bi-stable toggle switch models.