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Lévy Distribution


\begin{displaymath}
{\mathcal F}[P_N(k)]= {\mathcal F}[\mathop{\rm exp}\nolimits (-N\vert k\vert^\beta)],
\end{displaymath}

where ${\mathcal F}$ is the Fourier Transform of the probability $P_N(k)$ for $N$-step addition of random variables. Lévy showed that $\beta\in(0,2)$ for $P(x)$ to be Nonnegative. The Lévy distribution has infinite variance and sometimes infinite mean. The case $\beta=1$ gives a Cauchy Distribution, while $\beta=2$ gives a Gaussian Distribution.

See also Cauchy Distribution, Gaussian Distribution




© 1996-9 Eric W. Weisstein
1999-05-26