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Discrete Time Term Structure Theory and Consistent Recalibration Models

We develop theory and applications of forward characteristic processes in discrete time following a seminal paper of Jan Kallsen and Paul Krühner. Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamics of volatility surfaces which can be easily formulated and implemented from the chosen discrete point of view. In mathematical terms we provide an algorithmic answer to the following question: describe a rich, still tractable class of discrete time stochastic processes, whose marginal distributions are given at initial time and which are free of arbitrage. In terms of mathematical finance we can construct models with pre-described (implied) volatility surface and quite general volatility surface dynamics. In terms of the works of Rene Carmona and Sergey Nadtochiy, we analyze the dynamics of tangent affine models. We believe that the discrete approach due to its technical simplicity will be important in term structure modelling.