本篇論文將厚尾分配（Heavy-Tailed Distribution）應用在財務及保險精算上。本研究主要有三個部分：第一部份是用厚尾分配來重新建構Lee-Carter模型（1992），發現改良後的Lee-Carter模型其配適與預測效果都較準確。第二部分是將厚尾分配建構於具有世代因子（Cohort Factor）的Renshaw and Haberman模型（2006）中，其配適及預測效果皆有顯著改善，此外，針對英格蘭及威爾斯（England and Wales）訂價長壽交換（Longevity Swaps），結果顯示此模型可以支付較少的長壽交換之保費以及避免低估損失準備金。第三部分是財務上的應用，利用Schmidt等人（2006）提出的多元仿射廣義雙曲線分配（Multivariate Affine Generalized Hyperbolic Distributions; MAGH）於Boyle等人（2003）提出的低偏差網狀法（Low Discrepancy Mesh; LDM）來定價多維度的百慕達選擇權。理論上，LDM法的數值會高於Longstaff and Schwartz（2001）提出的最小平方法（Least Square Method; LSM）的數值，而數值分析結果皆一致顯示此性質，藉由此特性，我們可知道多維度之百慕達選擇權的真值落於此範圍之間。 / The thesis focus on the application of heavy-tailed distributions in finance and actuarial science. We provide three applications in this thesis. The first application is that we refine the Lee-Carter model (1992) with heavy-tailed distributions. The results show that the Lee-Carter model with heavy-tailed distributions provide better fitting and prediction. The second application is that we also model the error term of Renshaw and Haberman model (2006) using heavy-tailed distributions and provide an iterative fitting algorithm to generate maximum likelihood estimates under the Cox regression model. Using the RH model with non-Gaussian innovations can pay lower premiums of longevity swaps and avoid the underestimation of loss reserves for England and Wales. The third application is that we use multivariate affine generalized hyperbolic (MAGH) distributions introduced by Schmidt et al. (2006) and low discrepancy mesh (LDM) method introduced by Boyle et al. (2003), to show how to price multidimensional Bermudan derivatives. In addition, the LDM estimates are higher than the corresponding estimates from the Least Square Method (LSM) of Longstaff and Schwartz (2001). This is consistent with the property that the LDM estimate is high bias while the LSM estimate is low bias. This property also ensures that the true option value will lie between these two bounds.

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Dans le cadre des recherches de la qualité des ressources en eau, l’étude du processus de transfert de masse du sol vers la nappe phréatique constitue un élément primordial pour la compréhension de la pollution de cette dernière. En effet, les éléments polluants solubles à la surface (produits liés aux activités humaines tels engrais, pesticides...) peuvent transiter vers la nappe à travers le milieu poreux qu’est le sol. Ce scénario de transfert de pollution repose sur deux phénomènes : la pluie qui génère la masse d’eau à la surface et la dispersion de celle-ci à travers le milieu poreux. La dispersion de masse dans un milieu poreux naturel comme le sol forme un sujet de recherche vaste et difficile aussi bien au plan expérimental que théorique. Sa modélisation constitue une préoccupation du laboratoire EMMAH, en particulier dans le cadre du projet Sol Virtuel dans lequel un modèle de transfert (modèle PASTIS) a été développé. Le couplage de ce modèle de transfert avec en entrée un modèle décrivant la dynamique aléatoire de la pluie est un des objectifs de la présente thèse. Ce travail de thèse aborde cet objectif en s’appuyant d’une part sur des résultats d’observations expérimentaux et d’autre part sur de la modélisation inspirée par l’analyse des données d’observation. La première partie du travail est consacrée à l’élaboration d’un modèle stochastique de pluie. Le choix et la nature du modèle sont basés sur les caractéristiques obtenus à partir de l’analyse de données de hauteur de pluie recueillies sur 40 ans (1968-2008) sur le Centre de Recherche de l’INRA d’Avignon. Pour cela, la représentation cumulée des précipitations sera assimilée à une marche aléatoire dans laquelle les sauts et les temps d’attente entre les sauts sont respectivement les amplitudes et les durées aléatoires entre deux occurrences d’événements de pluie. Ainsi, la loi de probabilité des sauts (loi log-normale) et celle des temps d’attente entre les sauts (loi alpha-stable) sont obtenus en analysant les lois de probabilité des amplitudes et des occurrences des événements de pluie. Nous montrons alors que ce modèle de marche aléatoire tend vers un mouvement brownien géométrique subordonné en temps (quand les pas d’espace et de temps de la marche tendent simultanément vers zéro tout en gardant un rapport constant) dont la loi de densité de probabilité est régie par une équation de Fokker Planck fractionnaire (FFPE). Deux approches sont ensuite utilisées pour la mise en œuvre du modèle. La première approche est de type stochastique et repose sur le lien existant entre le processus stochastique issu de l’équation différentielle d’Itô et la FFPE. La deuxième approche utilise une résolution numérique directe par discrétisation de la FFPE. Conformément à l’objectif principal de la thèse, la seconde partie du travail est consacrée à l’analyse de la contribution de la pluie aux fluctuations de la nappe phréatique. Cette analyse est faite sur la base de deux relevés simultanées d’observations de hauteurs de pluie et de la nappe phréatique sur 14 mois (février 2005-mars 2006). Une étude statistique des liens entre les signaux de pluie et de fluctuations de la nappe est menée comme suit : Les données de variations de hauteur de nappe sont analysées et traitées pour isoler les fluctuations cohérentes avec les événements de pluie. Par ailleurs, afin de tenir compte de la dispersion de masse dans le sol, le transport de la masse d’eau pluviale dans le sol sera modélisé par un code de calcul de transfert (modèle PASTIS) auquel nous appliquons en entrée les données de hauteurs de pluie mesurées. Les résultats du modèle permettent entre autre d’estimer l’état hydrique du sol à une profondeur donnée (ici fixée à 1.6m). Une étude de la corrélation entre cet état hydrique et les fluctuations de la nappe sera ensuite effectuée en complément à celle décrite ci-dessus pour illustrer la possibilité de modéliser l’impact de la pluie sur les fluctuations de la nappe / Within the research quality of water resources, the study of the process of mass transfer from soil to groundwater is a key element for understanding the pollution of the latter. Indeed, soluble contaminants to the surface (related to human activities such fertilizers, pesticides products ...) can transit to the web through the porous medium that is the ground. This scenario transfer pollution based on two phenomena: the rain that generates the body of water to the dispersion and the surface thereof through the porous medium. The dispersion of mass in a natural porous medium such as soil forms a subject of extensive research and difficult both experimental and theoretical grounds. Its modeling is a concern EMMAH laboratory, particularly in the context of Virtual Sol project in which a transfer model (PASTIS model) was developed. The coupling of this transfer model with input a model describing the dynamics of random rain is one of the objectives of this thesis. This thesis addresses this goal by relying in part on the results of experimental observations and also on modeling inspired by the analysis of observational data. The first part of the work is devoted to the development of a stochastic model of rain. The choice and nature of the model are based on the features obtained from the analysis of data collected rainfall over 40 years (1968-2008) on the Research Centre INRA Avignon. For this, the cumulative rainfall representation will be treated as a random walk in which the jumps and waiting times between jumps are the amplitudes and durations between two random occurrences of rain events. Thus, the probability jumps (log-normal distribution) and that of waiting between jumps (Law alpha-stable) time is obtained by analyzing the laws of probability amplitudes and occurrences of rain events. We show that the random walk model tends towards a subordinate in time geometric Brownian motion (when space step and time step walking simultaneously tend to zero while maintaining a constant ratio), the law of probability density is governed by a Fokker Planck fractional (FFPE). Two approaches are then used to implement the model. The first approach is based on stochastic type and the relationship between the stochastic process derived from the differential equation of Itô and FFPE. The second approach uses a direct numerical solution by discretization of the FFPE. Accordance with the main objective of the thesis, the second part of the work is devoted to the analysis of the contribution of rain to fluctuations in groundwater. We approach this analysis on the basis of two simultaneous records of observations of rainfall amounts and groundwater over 14 months (February 2005-March 2006). A statistical study of the relationship between the signals of rain and fluctuating water will be conducted. Data sheet height variations are analyzed and processed to isolate coherent fluctuations with rain events. In addition, to take account of the mass dispersion in the soil, the mass transport of storm water in the soil layer is modeled by a calculation code transfer (PASTIS model) which we apply input data measured heights of rain. The model results allow between another estimate soil water status at a given depth (here set at 1.6m). A study of the correlation between the water status and fluctuating water will then be performed in addition to that described above to illustrate the ability to model the impact of rain on the water table fluctuations

While decision-making under uncertainty is a major universal problem, its implications in the field of transportation systems are especially enormous; where the benefits of right decisions are tremendous, the consequences of wrong ones are potentially disastrous. In the realm of highway systems, decisions related to the highway configuration (number of lanes, right of way, etc.) need to incorporate both the traffic demand and land price uncertainties. In the literature, these uncertainties have generally been modeled using the Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) process, which has been used extensively in modeling many other real life phenomena. But few scholars, including those who used the GBM in highway configuration decisions, have offered any rigorous justification for the use of this model. This thesis attempts to offer a detailed analysis of various aspects of transportation systems in relation to decision-making. It reveals some general insights as well as a new concept that extends the notion of opportunity cost to situations where wrong decisions could be made. Claiming deficiency of the GBM model, it also introduces a new formulation that utilizes a large and flexible parametric family of jump models (i.e., Lévy processes). To validate this claim, data related to traffic demand and land prices were collected and analyzed to reveal that their distributions, heavy-tailed and asymmetric, do not match well with the GBM model. As a remedy, this research used the Merton, Kou, and negative inverse Gaussian Lévy processes as possible alternatives. Though the results show indifference in relation to final decisions among the models, mathematically, they improve the precision of uncertainty models and the decision-making process. This furthers the quest for optimality in highway projects and beyond.

While decision-making under uncertainty is a major universal problem, its implications in the field of transportation systems are especially enormous; where the benefits of right decisions are tremendous, the consequences of wrong ones are potentially disastrous. In the realm of highway systems, decisions related to the highway configuration (number of lanes, right of way, etc.) need to incorporate both the traffic demand and land price uncertainties. In the literature, these uncertainties have generally been modeled using the Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) process, which has been used extensively in modeling many other real life phenomena. But few scholars, including those who used the GBM in highway configuration decisions, have offered any rigorous justification for the use of this model. This thesis attempts to offer a detailed analysis of various aspects of transportation systems in relation to decision-making. It reveals some general insights as well as a new concept that extends the notion of opportunity cost to situations where wrong decisions could be made. Claiming deficiency of the GBM model, it also introduces a new formulation that utilizes a large and flexible parametric family of jump models (i.e., Lévy processes). To validate this claim, data related to traffic demand and land prices were collected and analyzed to reveal that their distributions, heavy-tailed and asymmetric, do not match well with the GBM model. As a remedy, this research used the Merton, Kou, and negative inverse Gaussian Lévy processes as possible alternatives. Though the results show indifference in relation to final decisions among the models, mathematically, they improve the precision of uncertainty models and the decision-making process. This furthers the quest for optimality in highway projects and beyond.