Convex order and faster transmission in first contact percolation

Abstract

Inspired by strict-monotonicity criteria for the time constant in first passage percolation, we investigate convex ordering of point processes in relation to the time constant in first contact percolation. In a nutshell, first contact percolation models the spread of an infection as a contact process without recovery based on a generalized graphical representation, where the usual homogeneous Poisson point processes on the edges are replaced by general simple point processes. Based on a notion of convex ordering for point processes, we prove monotonicity in the number and existence of infection paths. We argue that this convex ordering is however not enough to ensure strict monotonicities in the asymptotic speed of the infection. Instead, we propose a criterion based on an ordering of void probabilities and prove a speed-up for one-dimensional systems based on $\mathbb{Z}$-stationary point processes.