This volume is based on the lecture notes of six courses delivered at a Cimpa Summer School in Temuco, Chile, in January 2001. Leading experts contribute with introductory articles covering a broad area in probability and its applications, such as mathematical physics and mathematics of finance. Written at graduate level, the lectures touch the latest advances on each subject, ranging from classical probability theory to modern developments. Thus the book will appeal to students, teachers and researchers working in probability theory or related fields.

This volume is based on lectures notes for the courses delivered at the Cimpa Summer School: From Classical to Modern Probability, held at Temuco, Chile, be th th tween January 8 and 26 , 2001. This meeting brought together probabilists and graduate students interested in fields like particle systems, percolation, Brownian motion, random structures, potential theory and stochastic processes. We would like to express our gratitude to all the participants of the school as well as the people who contributed to its organization. In particular, to Servet Martinez, and Pablo Ferrari for their scientific advice, and Cesar Burgueiio for all his support and friendship. We want to thank all the professors for their stimulating courses and lectures. Special thanks to those who took the extra work in preparing each chapter of this book. We are also indebted to our sponsors and supporting institutions, whose interest and help was essential to organize this meeting: CIMPA, CNRS, CONI CYT, ECOS, FONDAP Program in Applied Mathematics, French Cooperation, Fundacion Andes, Presidential Fellowship, Universidad de Chile and Universidad de La Frontera. We are grateful to Miss Gladys Cavallone for her excellent work during the preparation of the meeting as well as for the considerable task of unifying the typography of the different chapters of this book.

Covers a broad area in probability Six courses given by leading experts Topics from classical probability theory such as Brownian motion to modern developments such as spin systems and percolation Clear exposition of each subject

Inhalt
Asymptotic of the Heat Kernel in Unbounded Domains.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Ratio theorem for domains with harmonic cone C? of dimension 1.- 3 Benedicks domains.- References.- Spin Systems with Long Range Interactions.- 1 Ising spin systems.- 2 Phase transition.- 3 Time evolution.- References.- Nonlinear Dirichlet Problem and Nonlinear Integration.- 1 Generalities.- 2 Preliminaries on capacities.- 3 Radon capacities.- 4 Lusin capacities.- 5 Answering the questions and last words.- References.- First-Passage Percolation.- 1 The basic model and the shape model.- 2 Exponential bounds for large deviations.- 3 Bounds of moderate deviations.- References.- Central Limit Theorem for Markov Processes.- 1 Introduction.- 2 A warming-up example.- 3 Central limit theorem for Markov processs.- 4 Regularity of the diffusion coefficient.- References.- Stochastic Orders and Stopping Times in Brownian Motion.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Martingales and stochastic orders.- 3 Skorohod embeddings in standard Brownian motion.- 4 A maximal property of AzémaYor stopped Brownian motion.- 5 Practical description of the optimal stopping time for the look-back American put option problem.- References.