On an integral equation for the free boundary of stochastic, irreversible investment problems

In this paper we derive a new handy integral equation for the free boundary of infinite time horizon, continuous time, stochastic, irreversible investment problems with uncertainty modeled as a one-dimensional, regular diffusion X0;x. The new integral equation allows to explicitly find the free boundary b(.) in some so far unsolved cases, as when X0;x is a three-dimensional Bessel process or a CEV process. Our result follows from purely probabilistic arguments. Indeed, we first show that b(X0;x(t)) = l L(t), with l L(t) unique optional solution of a representation problem in the spirit of Bank-El Karoui [4]; then, thanks to such identification and the fact that l L uniquely solves a backward stochastic equation, we find the integral problem for the free boundary. -- integral equation ; free boundary ; irreversible investment ; singular stochastic control ; optimal stopping ; one-dimensional diffusion ; Bank and El Karoui's Representation Theorem ; base capacity