A class of non-identifiable stochastic models

Abstract

If events occur in time according to a stochastic process then, under not very restrictive conditions, each realization will appear to come from a Poisson process with its own rate provided that the events in the realization occur at effectively random times. This result is related to de Finetti's theorem on exchangeable events. Particular applications are to the Pólya process describing accidents and the pure birth process.