Weak Backward Error Analysis for SDEs

Abstract

We consider long time numerical approximations of stochastic differential equations (SDEs) by the Euler method. In the case where the SDE is elliptic or hypoelliptic, we show a weak backward error analysis result in the sense that the generator associated with the numerical solution coincides with the solution of a modified Kolmogorov equation up to high order terms with respect to the stepsize. This implies that every invariant measure of the numerical scheme is close to a modified invariant measure obtained by asymptotic expansion. Moreover, we prove that, up to negligible terms, the dynamic associated with the Euler scheme is exponentially mixing.