arXiv subjects

Chenchen Mou

Publications and source records attributed to Chenchen Mou.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Robust mean field control: an application to optimal execution under composite uncertainty

We provide a framework for robust mean field control problems that describe multi-dimensional optimal liquidation problems under uncertainty from both the underlying stochastic process and the deterministic model parameters. The verification results are established with Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman-Isaacs (HJBI) equations where the variables are probability measures and the Hamiltonian nonlinearly involves the joint distribution of position and momentum. Using novel a priori estimates, we establish the well-posedness of the HJBI equations featuring general or quadratic Hamiltonians that are neither displacement convex nor concave in their momentum. The a priori estimates and well-posedness results are extended during their application to optimal liquidation problems, where we allow the Hamiltonian to have derivatives of linear growth and solve the constrained multi-dimensional linear quadratic optimal liquidation problem under composite uncertainty.

math.OC↗

arXiv2026

Local well-posedness of general mean field game master equations

This paper presents a generic approach for establishing mean field game master equations, applicable whenever the mean field equilibrium can be characterized by a McKean-Vlasov forward-backward stochastic differential equation system. The core of our approach is a representation formula for the first-order Lions derivative of the decoupling field of this forward-backward SDE system. We then employ a bootstrap argument to recursively compute its higher-order derivatives. To demonstrate the method's versatility, we establish the local well-posedness for master equations in three distinct models: extended mean field games, mean field games with volatility control, and mean field games with a major player.

math.PR↗

arXiv2026

The global well-posedness for master equations of mean field games of controls

In this manuscript, we establish the global well-posedness for master equations of mean field games of controls, where the interaction is through the joint law of the state and control. Our results are proved under two different conditions: the Lasry-Lions monotonicity and the displacement $\lambda$-monotonicity, both considered in their integral forms. We provide a detailed analysis of both the differential and integral versions of these monotonicity conditions for the corresponding nonseparable Hamiltonian and examine their relation. The proof of global well-posedness relies on the propagation of these monotonicity conditions in their integral forms and a priori uniform Lipschitz continuity of the solution with respect to the measure variable.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

Quasi-potential of stationary and quasi-stationary densities: existence, regularity, and applications

The present paper is devoted to the large deviation principle (LDP), with particular emphasis on the regularity of the quasi-potential for densities of stationary and quasi-stationary distributions of randomly perturbed dynamical systems. Our framework is set up within a positively invariant set contained in the basin of attraction of a maximal attractor of the unperturbed system. Such a setting with a general maximal attractor is anticipated in many applications.

math.DS↗

arXiv2025

Finite difference schemes for Hamilton--Jacobi equation on Wasserstein space on graphs

This work proposes and studies numerical schemes for initial value problems of Hamilton--Jacobi equations (HJEs) with a graph individual noise on the Wasserstein space on graphs. Numerically solving such equations is particularly challenging due to the structural complexity caused by discrete geometric derivatives and logarithmic geometry. Our numerical schemes are constructed using finite difference approximations that are adapted to both the discrete geometry of graphs and the differential structure of Wasserstein spaces. To ensure numerical stability and accuracy of numerical behavior, we use extrapolation-type techniques to simulate the numerical solution on the boundary of density space. By analyzing approximation error of Wasserstein gradient of the viscosity solution, we prove the uniform convergence of the schemes to the original initial value problem, and establish an $L^{\infty}_{\mathrm{loc}}$-error estimate of order one-half. Several numerical experiments are presented to illustrate our theoretical findings and to study the effect of individual noise and Hamiltonians on graphs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first result on numerical schemes for HJEs on the Wasserstein space with a graph structure.

math.NA↗

arXiv2025

Second-order monotonicity conditions and mean field games with volatility control

In this manuscript we study the well-posedness of the master equations for mean field games with volatility control. This infinite dimensional PDE is nonlinear with respect to both the first and second-order derivatives of its solution. For standard mean field games with only drift control, it is well-known that certain monotonicity condition is essential for the uniqueness of mean field equilibria and for the global well-posedness of the master equations. To adapt to the current setting with volatility control, we propose a new notion called second-order monotonicity conditions. Surprisingly, the second-order Lasry-Lions monotonicity is equivalent to its standard (first-order) version, but such an equivalency fails for displacement monotonicity. When the Hamiltonian is separable and the data are Lasry-Lions monotone, we show that the Lasry-Lions monotonicity propagates and the master equation admits a unique classical solution. This is the first work for the well-posedness, both local and global, of master equations when the volatility is controlled.

math.AP↗

arXiv2025

Learning Surrogate Potential Mean Field Games via Gaussian Processes: A Data-Driven Approach to Ill-Posed Inverse Problems

Mean field games (MFGs) describe the collective behavior of large populations of interacting agents. In this work, we tackle ill-posed inverse problems in potential MFGs, aiming to recover the agents' population, momentum, and environmental setup from limited, noisy measurements and partial observations. These problems are ill-posed because multiple MFG configurations can explain the same data, or different parameters can yield nearly identical observations. Nonetheless, they remain crucial in practice for real-world scenarios where data are inherently sparse or noisy, or where the MFG structure is not fully determined. Our focus is on finding surrogate MFGs that accurately reproduce the observed data despite these challenges. We propose two Gaussian process (GP)-based frameworks: an inf-sup formulation and a bilevel approach. The choice between them depends on whether the unknown parameters introduce concavity in the objective. In the inf-sup framework, we use the linearity of GPs and their parameterization structure to maintain convex-concave properties, allowing us to apply standard convex optimization algorithms. In the bilevel framework, we employ a gradient-descent-based algorithm and introduce two methods for computing the outer gradient. The first method leverages an existing solver for the inner potential MFG and applies automatic differentiation, while the second adopts an adjoint-based strategy that computes the outer gradient independently of the inner solver. Our numerical experiments show that when sufficient prior information is available, the unknown parameters can be accurately recovered. Otherwise, if prior information is limited, the inverse problem is ill-posed, but our frameworks can still produce surrogate MFG models that closely match observed data.

cs.LG↗

arXiv2025

Major-minor mean field games: common noise helps

The objective of this work is to study the existence, uniqueness, and stability of equilibria in mean field games involving a major player and a continuum of minor players over finite intervals of arbitrary length. Following earlier articles addressing similar questions in the context of classical mean field games, the cost functions for the minor players are assumed to satisfy the Lasry-Lions monotonicity condition. In this contribution, we demonstrate that if, in addition to the monotonicity condition, the intensity of the (Brownian) noise driving the major player is sufficiently high, then -- under further mild regularity assumptions on the coefficients -- existence, uniqueness, and stability of equilibria are guaranteed. A key challenge is to show that the threshold (beyond which the noise intensity must be taken) can be chosen independently of the length of the time interval over which the game is defined. Building on the stability properties thus established, we further show that the associated system of master equations admits a unique classical solution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first result of its kind for major-minor mean field games defined over intervals of arbitrary length.

math.OC↗

arXiv2024

A particle system approach towards the global well-posedness of master equations for potential mean field games of control

This paper studies the $N$-particle systems as well as the HJB/master equations for a class of generalized mean field control (MFC) problems and the corresponding potential mean field games of control (MFGC). A local in time classical solution for the HJB equation is generated via a probabilistic approach based on the mean field maximum principle. Given an extension of the so called displacement convexity condition, we obtain the uniform estimates on the HJB equation for the $N$-particle system. Such estimates imply the displacement convexity/semi-concavity and thus the prior estimates on the solution to the HJB equation for generalized MFC problems. The global well-posedness of HJB/master equation for generalized MFC/potential MFGC is then proved thanks to the local well-posedness and the prior estimates. In view of the nature of the displacement convexity condition, such well-posedness is also true for the degenerated case. Our analysis on the $N$-particle system also induces an Lipschitz approximator to the optimal feedback function in generalized MFC/potential MFGC where an algebraic convergence rate is obtained. Furthermore, an alternative approximate Nash equilibrium is proposed based on the $N$-particle system, where the approximation error is quantified thanks to the aforementioned uniform estimates.

math.OC↗

arXiv2024

Convergence analysis of controlled particle systems arising in deep learning: from finite to infinite sample size

This paper deals with a class of neural SDEs and studies the limiting behavior of the associated sampled optimal control problems as the sample size grows to infinity. The neural SDEs with $N$ samples can be linked to the $N$-particle systems with centralized control. We analyze the Hamilton--Jacobi--Bellman equation corresponding to the $N$-particle system and establish regularity results which are uniform in $N$. The uniform regularity estimates are obtained by the stochastic maximum principle and the analysis of a backward stochastic Riccati equation. Using these uniform regularity results, we show the convergence of the minima of the objective functionals and optimal parameters of the neural SDEs as the sample size $N$ tends to infinity. The limiting objects can be identified with suitable functions defined on the Wasserstein space of Borel probability measures. Furthermore, quantitative convergence rates are also obtained.

math.OC↗

arXiv2023

Decoding Mean Field Games from Population and Environment Observations By Gaussian Processes

This paper presents a Gaussian Process (GP) framework, a non-parametric technique widely acknowledged for regression and classification tasks, to address inverse problems in mean field games (MFGs). By leveraging GPs, we aim to recover agents' strategic actions and the environment's configurations from partial and noisy observations of the population of agents and the setup of the environment. Our method is a probabilistic tool to infer the behaviors of agents in MFGs from data in scenarios where the comprehensive dataset is either inaccessible or contaminated by noises.

cs.GT↗

arXiv2023

Linear-Quadratic Mean Field Control with Non-Convex Data

In this manuscript, we study a class of linear-quadratic (LQ) mean field control problems with a common noise and their corresponding $N$-particle systems. The mean field control problems considered are not standard LQ mean field control problems in the sense that their dependence on the mean field terms can be non-linear and non-convex. Therefore, all the existing methods to deal with LQ mean field control problems fail. The key idea to solve our LQ mean field control problem is to utilize the common noise. We first prove the global well-posedness of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equations via the non-degeneracy of the common noise. In contrast to the LQ mean field games master equations, the Hamilton-Jacobi equations for the LQ mean field control problems can not be reduced to finite-dimensional PDEs. We then globally solve the Hamilton-Jacobi equations for $N$-particle systems. As byproducts, we derive the optimal quantitative convergence results from the $N$-particle systems to the mean field control problem and the propagation of chaos property for the related optimal trajectories. This paper extends the results in [{\sc M. Li, C. Mou, Z. Wu and C. Zhou}, \emph{Trans. Amer. Math. Soc.}, 376(06) (2023), pp.~4105--4143] to the LQ mean field control problems.

math.OC↗

arXiv2023

Global Well-Posedness of Displacement Monotone Degenerate Mean Field Games Master Equations

In this paper we construct global in time classical solutions to mean field games master equations in the lack of idiosyncratic noise in the individual agents' dynamics. These include both deterministic models and dynamics driven solely by a Brownian common noise. We consider a general class of non-separable Hamiltonians and final data functions that are supposed to be displacement monotone. Our main results unify and generalize in particular some of the well-posedness results on displacement monotone master equations obtained recently by Gangbo--M\'esz\'aros and Gangbo--M\'esz\'aros--Mou--Zhang.

math.AP↗

arXiv2023

Minimal solutions of master equations for extended mean field games

In an extended mean field game the vector field governing the flow of the population can be different from that of the individual player at some mean field equilibrium. This new class strictly includes the standard mean field games. It is well known that, without any monotonicity conditions, mean field games typically contain multiple mean field equilibria and the wellposedness of their corresponding master equations fails. In this paper, a partial order for the set of probability measure flows is proposed to compare different mean field equilibria. The minimal and maximal mean field equilibria under this partial order are constructed and satisfy the flow property. The corresponding value functions, however, are in general discontinuous. We thus introduce a notion of weak-viscosity solutions for the master equation and verify that the value functions are indeed weak-viscosity solutions. Moreover, a comparison principle for weak-viscosity semi-solutions is established and thus these two value functions serve as the minimal and maximal weak-viscosity solutions in appropriate sense. In particular, when these two value functions coincide, the value function becomes the unique weak-viscosity solution to the master equation. The novelties of the work persist even when restricted to the standard mean field games.

math.PR↗

arXiv2022

Mean Field Game Master Equations with Anti-monotonicity Conditions

It is well known that the monotonicity condition, either in Lasry-Lions sense or in displacement sense, is crucial for the global well-posedness of mean field game master equations, as well as for the uniqueness of mean field equilibria and solutions to mean field game systems. In the literature, the monotonicity conditions are always taken in a fixed direction. In this paper we propose a new type of monotonicity condition in the opposite direction, which we call the anti-monotonicity condition, and establish the global well-posedness for mean field game master equations with nonseparable Hamiltonians. Our anti-monotonicity condition allows our data to violate both the Lasry-Lions monotonicity and the displacement monotonicity conditions.

math.PR↗

arXiv2022

Mean Field Games of Controls: Propagation of Monotonicities

The theory of Mean Field Game of Controls considers a class of mean field games where the interaction is through the joint distribution of the state and control. It is well known that, for standard mean field games, certain monotonicity condition is crucial to guarantee the uniqueness of mean field equilibria and then the global wellposedness for master equations. In the literature, the monotonicity condition could be the Lasry-Lions monotonicity, the displacement monotonicity, or the anti-monotonicity conditions. In this paper, we investigate all these three types of monotonicity conditions for Mean Field Games of Controls and show their propagation along the solutions to the master equations with common noises. In particular, we extend the displacement monotonicity to semi-monotonicity, whose propagation result is new even for standard mean field games. This is the first step towards the global wellposedness theory for master equations of Mean Field Games of Controls.

math.PR↗

arXiv2022

Linear-Quadratic Mean Field Games of Controls with Non-Monotone Data

In this paper, we study a class of linear-quadratic (LQ) mean field games of controls with common noises and their corresponding $N$-player games. The theory of mean field game of controls considers a class of mean field games where the interaction is via the joint law of both the state and control. By the stochastic maximum principle, we first analyze the limiting behavior of the representative player and obtain his/her optimal control in a feedback form with the given distributional flow of the population and its control. The mean field equilibrium is determined by the Nash certainty equivalence (NCE) system. Thanks to the common noise, we do not require any monotonicity conditions for the solvability of the NCE system. We also study the master equation arising from LQ mean field games of controls, which is a finite-dimensional second-order parabolic equation. It can be shown that the master equation admits a unique classical solution over an arbitrary time horizon without any monotonicity conditions. Beyond that, we can solve the $N$-player games directly by further assuming the non-degeneracy of the idiosyncratic noises. As byproducts, we prove the quantitative convergence results from the $N$-player game to the mean field game and the propagation of chaos property for the related optimal trajectories.

math.OC↗

arXiv2022

Inverse problems for mean field games

The theory of mean field games studies the limiting behaviors of large systems where the agents interact with each other in a certain symmetric way. The running and terminal costs are critical for the agents to decide the strategies. However, in practice they are often partially known or totally unknown for the agents, while the total cost is known at the end of the game. To address this challenging issue, we propose and study several inverse problems for mean field games. When the Lagrangian is a kinetic energy, we first establish unique identifiability results, showing that one can recover either the running cost or the terminal cost from knowledge of the total cost. If the running cost is limited to the time-independent class, we can further prove that one can simultaneously recover both the running and the terminal costs. Finally, we extend the results to the setup with general Lagrangians.

math.OC↗