NOTES - CONDITIONS FOR THE APPLICABILITY OF THE REGENERATIVE METHOD

The regenerative method for estimating steady-state parameters is one of the basic methods in simulation output analysis. This method depend s on central limit theorems for regenerative processes and weakly cons istent estimates for the variance constants arising in the central lim it theorems. A weak sufficient condition for both the central limit th eorems and consistent estimates is given. Previous authors have implic itly made stronger moment assumptions which have led to strongly consi stent variance estimates, more than is needed for the regenerative met hod to hold. The relationship between conditions for the validity of t he regenerative method and those for the validity of standardized time series methods is also discussed.