A simple and general proof for the convergence of Markov processes to their mean-field limits

Benjamin Armbruster

Published 2016-01-31Version 1

Mean-field models approximate large stochastic systems by simpler differential equations that are supposed to approximate the mean of the larger system. It is generally assumed that as the stochastic systems get larger (i.e., more people or particles), they converge to the mean-field models. Mean-field models are common in many fields, but their convergence is rarely proved. The existing approaches rely on operator semigroups, martingales, PDEs, or infinite systems of ODEs. We give a general proof for their convergence using only Taylor's theorem and basic ODE results. We hope this allows applied researchers to routinely show convergence of their mean-field models, putting their work on a stronger foundation.