Partially exchangeable Markov chains and characterisation of multitype Lambda-coalescents

Abstract

In this paper, we study consistent and partially exchangeable sequences of Markov chains on a finite state space. We provide a characterisation of the admissible transition rates via a decomposition into individual and coordinated motion of particles. As a consequence, we find a characterisation of multitype Lambda-coalescents with multiple switches. Moreover, we provide convergence and duality results for the corresponding process of limiting relative frequencies that we call the de Finetti measure process, and discuss a number of examples from the recent literature.