arXiv subjects

Alessandro Sgarabottolo

Publications and source records attributed to Alessandro Sgarabottolo.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Neural operators approximate strongly continuous convex monotone semigroups

We approximate strongly continuous convex monotone semigroups by learning their Chernoff-type one-step operators with neural operators. First, we introduce the general class of so-called Chernoff-neural operators and show in a universal approximation theorem that they can approximate the Chernoff one-step operators arbitrarily well. By using stability estimates between weighted H\"older spaces, the one-step approximation error can be propagated through the iterations which yields universal approximation of the corresponding semigroup. Second, we introduce the more specialized class of envelope-neural operators for envelope semigroups which allows us to derive quantitative approximation rates. Finally, we illustrate the effectiveness of these neural operators in several numerical examples arising from non-linear partial differential equations, stochastic optimal control and stochastic processes under model uncertainty.

math.NA↗

arXiv2026

Extreme points of sets of probability measures and $\varphi$-divergences

In this work, we prove several equivalent characterizations of the extreme points of convex sets of probability measures of the form $\mathcal{M}=\mathcal{P} \cap H$, where $\mathcal{P}$ denotes the set of all probability measures on an arbitrary measurable space $(\Omega,\mathcal{F})$ and $H$ is an affine set of signed measures on $(\Omega,\mathcal{F})$ with finite variation. We first give a precise measure-theoretic formulation of the heuristic that extreme measures have minimal support. We then connect this with the notion of minimality with respect to absolute continuity, and prove that points that dominate no other element of $\mathcal{M}$ are the only ones realizing the blow-up of a certain divergence map for any suitable $\phi$-divergence. Finally, considering a different class of $\phi$-divergences, we recover a characterization of the extreme points of $\mathcal{M}$ as strict local maximizers of $\phi$-divergences relative to any suitable dominating measures. We apply our result to recover and complement results from the literature in the context of finite spaces, sets of measures defined by integral constraints, multi-marginal couplings, and dominated sets of probability measures.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

Scaling limits of multi-period distributionally robust optimization problems

We examine the scaling limit of multi-period distributionally robust optimization (DRO) problems via a semigroup approach. Each period involves a worst-case maximization over distributions in a Wasserstein ball around the transition probability of a reference process with radius proportional to the length of the period, and the multi-period DRO problem arises through its sequential composition. We show that the scaling limit of the multi-period DRO, as the length of each period tends to zero, is a strongly continuous monotone semigroup on $\mathrm{C_b}$. Furthermore, we show that its infinitesimal generator is equal to the generator associated with the non-robust scaling limit plus an additional perturbation term induced by the Wasserstein uncertainty. As an application, we show that when the reference process follows an It\^o process, the viscosity solution of the associated nonlinear PDE coincides with the value of continuous-time robust optimization problems under parametric uncertainty.

math.OC↗

arXiv2025

Hopf-Lax approximation for value functions of L\'evy optimal control problems

In this paper, we investigate stochastic versions of the Hopf-Lax formula which are based on compositions of the Hopf-Lax operator with the transition kernel of a L\'evy process taking values in a separable Banach space. We show that, depending on the order of the composition, one obtains upper and lower bounds for the value function of a stochastic optimal control problem associated to the drift controlled L\'evy dynamics. Dynamic consistency is restored by iterating the resulting operators. Moreover, the value function of the control problem is approximated both from above and below as the number of iterations tends to infinity, and we provide explicit convergence rates and guarantees for the approximation procedure.

math.OC↗

arXiv2024

Discrete approximation of risk-based prices under volatility uncertainty

We discuss the asymptotic behaviour of risk-based indifference prices of European contingent claims in discrete-time financial markets under volatility uncertainty as the number of intermediate trading periods tends to infinity. The asymptotic risk-based prices form a strongly continuous convex monotone semigroup which is uniquely determined by its infinitesimal generator and therefore only depends on the covariance of the random factors but not on the particular choice of the model. We further compare the risk-based prices with the worst-case prices given by the $G$-expectation and investigate their asymptotic behaviour as the risk aversion of the agent tends to infinity. The theoretical results are illustrated with several examples and numerical simulations showing, in particular, that the risk-based prices lead to a significant reduction of the bid-ask spread compared to the worst-case prices.

q-fin.MF↗

arXiv2023

Risk measures based on weak optimal transport

In this paper, we study convex risk measures with weak optimal transport penalties. In a first step, we show that these risk measures allow for an explicit representation via a nonlinear transform of the loss function. In a second step, we discuss computational aspects related to the nonlinear transform as well as approximations of the risk measures using, for example, neural networks. Our setup comprises a variety of examples, such as classical optimal transport penalties, parametric families of models, uncertainty on path spaces, moment constrains, and martingale constraints. In a last step, we show how to use the theoretical results for the numerical computation of worst-case losses in an insurance context and no-arbitrage prices of European contingent claims after quoted maturities in a model-free setting.

q-fin.MF↗

arXiv2022

A parametric approach to the estimation of convex risk functionals based on Wasserstein distance

In this paper, we explore a static setting for the assessment of risk in the context of mathematical finance and actuarial science that takes into account model uncertainty in the distribution of a possibly infinite-dimensional risk factor. We allow for perturbations around a baseline model, measured via Wasserstein distance, and we investigate to which extent this form of probabilistic imprecision can be parametrized. The aim is to come up with a convex risk functional that incorporates a sefety margin with respect to nonparametric uncertainty and still can be approximated through parametrized models. The particular form of the parametrization allows us to develop a numerical method, based on neural networks, which gives both the value of the risk functional and the optimal perturbation of the reference measure. Moreover, we study the problem under additional constraints on the perturbations, namely, a mean and a martingale constraint. We show that, in both cases, under suitable conditions on the loss function, it is still possible to estimate the risk functional by passing to a parametric family of perturbed models, which again allows for a numerical approximation via neural networks.

q-fin.RM↗