arXiv:2610. 10246v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Constant-step stochastic approximation generally has a nonzero stationary mean error that persists under time averaging.
arXiv:2609.14922v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: For constant-stepsize stochastic approximation (SA), the iterates converge in distribution to a stationary law that depends on the stepsize $\alpha.$...
arXiv:2609. 20409v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Two-timescale stochastic approximation (TTSA) is a fundamental tool for analyzing coupled iterative algorithms in reinforcement learning, optimization, and stochastic control.
arXiv:2606. 26316v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We study first-order methods for smooth objectives satisfying the Polyak-\L{}ojasiewicz (PL) condition when gradient samples are generated by an exogenous Markov chain.
Discounted exponential utility provides a principled criterion for risk-sensitive sequential decision-making, but its nonlinear structure complicates reinforcement learning. A recent work \citep{thoppe2026reinforcement} addressed this difficulty by introducing a Bellman-compatible surrogate and two model-free fixed-point algorithms for optimizing it over stationary policies.
arXiv:2608. 01917v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Discounted exponential utility provides a principled criterion for risk-sensitive sequential decision-making, but its nonlinear structure complicates reinforcement learning.
This paper studies the statistical properties of Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) with a constant step size using the framework of iterated random functions. It demonstrates convergence in Euclidean distance via Geometric Moment Contraction, establishes quenched central limit theorems, invariance principles, and α-stable convergence for averaged SGD regardless of initialization, and explores the effect of step sizes through derivative processes. The authors further develop a Richardson-Romberg extrapolation with multiple step sizes, propose a bias-reduced variant, and introduce an online inference method that yields empirical confidence intervals with coverage approaching nominal levels as sample size increases.
arXiv:2610. 14567v2 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: This paper develops strong Gaussian approximations (KMT type) for constant learning rate stochastic gradient descent (SGD).
arXiv:2609. 39144v2 Announce Type: new Abstract: We prove a sharp Gaussian approximation for the invariant law of constant-stepsize SGD with bounded additive noise generated by an exogenous uniformly ergodic Markov chain.
arXiv:2502. 09884v4 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: We consider linear two-time-scale stochastic approximation algorithms driven by martingale noise.
arXiv:2607. 13414v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Non-expansive two-time-scale stochastic approximation is governed by a slow stochastic Krasnoselskii--Mann fixed-point iteration rather than by contraction to a unique equilibrium.
arXiv:2404.06023v3 Announce Type: replace-cross Abstract: Motivated by Q-learning, we study nonsmooth contractive stochastic approximation (SA) with constant stepsize. We focus on two important class...