Random Recursive Trees and the Bolthausen-Sznitman Coalesent
Christina Goldschmidt, Statistical Laboratory and Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, UK
James B. Martin, CNRS and Université Paris 7, France
Abstract
We describe a representation of the Bolthausen-Sznitman coalescent in
terms of the cutting of random recursive trees. Using this
representation, we prove results concerning the final collision of the
coalescent restricted to [n]: we show that the distribution of the
number of blocks involved in the final collision converges as
n → ∞, and obtain a scaling law for the sizes of
these blocks. We also consider the discrete-time Markov chain giving
the number of blocks after each collision of the coalescent restricted
to [n]; we show that the transition probabilities of the
time-reversal of this Markov chain have limits as n →
∞. These results can be interpreted as describing a
``post-gelation'' phase of the Bolthausen-Sznitman coalescent, in
which a giant cluster containing almost all of the mass has already
formed and the remaining small blocks are being absorbed.
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