Asymptotic Laws for Nonconservative Self-similar Fragmentations

Abstract

We consider a self-similar fragmentation process in which the generic particle of mass $x$ is replaced by the offspring particles at probability rate $x^\alpha$, with positive parameter $\alpha$. The total of offspring masses may be both larger or smaller than $x$ with positive probability. We show that under certain conditions the typical mass in the ensemble is of the order $t^{-1/\alpha}$ and that the empirical distribution of masses converges to a random limit which we characterise in terms of the reproduction law.