Abstract
The characteristic functions of the residence times are derived for the general two-compartment reversible stochastic compartment model. Residence times for particles in a particular compartment and in the whole system are considered. Both the exponential and the gamma residence times for a single visit are assumed. For each case, the coefficient of variation is derived. These are shown to be useful in distinguishing between exponential and gamma residence times and distinguishing systems with elimination of particles from a single compartment versus elimination from both compartments. It is also shown that one may use the mean residence times in differentiating reversible and irreversible systems. The utility of the coefficient of variation in describing the system, both for identifying the different structures and identifying the different distributions of residence times for single visits, is illustrated on several data sets.
Onate, Julia Mercedes Uichanco (1988). Distribution of residence times of some stochastic compartmental models. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -996332.