Quenched large deviations in renewal theory

Abstract

In this paper we introduce and study renewal–reward processes in random environments where each renewal involves a reward taking values in a Banach space. We derive quenched large deviation principles and identify the associated rate functions in terms of variational formulas involving correctors. We illustrate the theory with three examples: compound Poisson processes in random environments, pinning of polymers at interfaces with disorder, and returns of Markov chains in dynamic random environments.