Let ξi, i∈N, be independent copies of a L\'{e}vy process
{ξ(t),t≥0}. Motivated by the results obtained previously in the
context of the random energy model, we prove functional limit theorems for the
process ZN(t)=i=1∑Neξi(sN+t) as N→∞, where
sN is a non-negative sequence converging to +∞. The limiting process
depends heavily on the growth rate of the sequence sN. If sN grows slowly
in the sense that liminfN→∞logN/sN>λ2 for some critical
value λ2>0, then the limit is an Ornstein--Uhlenbeck process. However,
if λ:=limN→∞logN/sN∈(0,λ2), then the limit is a
certain completely asymmetric α-stable process Yα;ξ.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.3150/10-BEJ299 the Bernoulli
(http://isi.cbs.nl/bernoulli/) by the International Statistical
Institute/Bernoulli Society (http://isi.cbs.nl/BS/bshome.htm