First passage of a Markov additive process and generalized Jordan chains

Abstract

In this paper we consider the first passage process of a spectrally negative Markov additive process (MAP). The law of this process is uniquely characterized by a certain matrix function, which plays a crucial role in fluctuation theory. We show how to identify this matrix using the theory of Jordan chains associated with analytic matrix functions. This result provides us with a technique, which can be used to derive various further identities.Lévy processes, Fluctuation theory, Markov Additive Processes