Geometric Anisotropic Spatial Point Pattern Analysis and Cox Processes

We consider spatial point processes with a pair correlation function, which depends only on the lag vector between a pair of points. Our interest is in statistical models with a special kind of ‘structured’ anisotropy: the pair correlation function is geometric anisotropic if it is elliptical but not spherical. In particular, we study Cox process models with an elliptical pair correlation function, including shot noise Cox processes and log Gaussian Cox processes, and we develop estimation procedures using summary statistics and Bayesian methods. Our methodology is illustrated on real and synthetic datasets of spatial point patterns.     

Regularized estimation for highly multivariate log Gaussian Cox processes

Statistical inference for highly multivariate point pattern data is challenging due to complex models with large numbers of parameters. In this paper, we develop numerically stable and efficient parameter estimation and model selection algorithms for a class of multivariate log Gaussian Cox processes. The methodology is applied to a highly multivariate point pattern data set from tropical rain forest ecology.     

Space-time Multi Type Log Gaussian Cox Processes with a View to Modelling Weeds

Log Gaussian Cox processes as introduced in Moller et al. (1998) are extended to space-time models called log Gaussian Cox birth processes. These processes allow modelling of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in time series of increasing point processes consisting of different types of points. The models are shown to be easy to analyse yet flexible enough for a detailed statistical analysis of a particular agricultural experiment concerning the development of two weed species on an organic barley field. Particularly, the aspects of estimation, model validation and intensity surface prediction are discussed.     

Variable selection in joint mean and variance models of Box–Cox transformation

In many applications, a single Box–Cox transformation cannot necessarily produce the normality, constancy of variance and linearity of systematic effects. In this paper, by establishing a heterogeneous linear regression model for the Box–Cox transformed response, we propose a hybrid strategy, in which variable selection is employed to reduce the dimension of the explanatory variables in joint mean and variance models, and Box–Cox transformation is made to remedy the response. We propose a unified procedure which can simultaneously select significant variables in the joint mean and variance models of Box–Cox transformation which provide a useful extension of the ordinary normal linear regression models. With appropriate choice of the tuning parameters, we establish the consistency of this procedure and the oracle property of the obtained estimators. Moreover, we also consider the maximum profile likelihood estimator of the Box–Cox transformation parameter. Simulation studies and a real example are used to illustrate the application of the proposed methods.     

Estimation in Semiparametric Marginal Shared Gamma Frailty Models

The semiparametric marginal shared frailty models in survival analysis have the non–parametric hazard functions multiplied by a random frailty in each cluster, and the survival times conditional on frailties are assumed to be independent. In addition, the marginal hazard functions have the same form as in the usual Cox proportional hazard models. In this paper, an approach based on maximum likelihood and expectation–maximization is applied to semiparametric marginal shared gamma frailty models, where the frailties are assumed to be gamma distributed with mean 1 and variance θ. The estimates of the fixed–effect parameters and their standard errors obtained using this approach are compared in terms of both bias and efficiency with those obtained using the extended marginal approach. Similarly, the standard errors of our frailty variance estimates are found to compare favourably with those obtained using other methods. The asymptotic distribution of the frailty variance estimates is shown to be a 50–50 mixture of a point mass at zero and a truncated normal random variable on the positive axis for θ₀ = 0. Simulations demonstrate that, for θ₀ < 0, it is approximately an x −(100 − x )%, 0 ≤ x ≤ 50, mixture between a point mass at zero and a truncated normal random variable on the positive axis for small samples and small values of θ₀; otherwise, it is approximately normal.     

Contrast Estimation for Parametric Stationary Determinantal Point Processes

We study minimum contrast estimation for parametric stationary determinantal point processes. These processes form a useful class of models for repulsive (or regular, or inhibitive) point patterns and are already applied in numerous statistical applications. Our main focus is on minimum contrast methods based on the Ripley's K‐function or on the pair correlation function. Strong consistency and asymptotic normality of theses procedures are proved under general conditions that only concern the existence of the process and its regularity with respect to the parameters. A key ingredient of the proofs is the recently established Brillinger mixing property of stationary determinantal point processes. This work may be viewed as a complement to the study of Y. Guan and M. Sherman who establish the same kind of asymptotic properties for a large class of Cox processes, which in turn are models for clustering (or aggregation).     

Multivariate geometric anisotropic Cox processes

This paper introduces a new modeling and inference framework for multivariate and anisotropic point processes. Building on recent innovations in multivariate spatial statistics, we propose a new family of multivariate anisotropic random fields, and from them a family of anisotropic point processes. We give conditions that make the proposed models valid. We also propose a Palm likelihood-based inference method for this type of point process, circumventing issues of likelihood tractability. Finally we illustrate the utility of the proposed modeling framework by analyzing spatial ecological observations of plants and trees in the Barro Colorado Island data.     

Improving Ratio Estimators of Second Order Point Process Characteristics

Ripley's K function, the L function and the pair correlation function are important second order characteristics of spatial point processes. These functions are usually estimated by ratio estimators, where the numerators are Horvitz–Thompson edge corrected estimators and the denominators estimate the intensity or its square. It is possible to improve these estimators with respect to bias and estimation variance by means of adapted distance dependent intensity estimators. Further improvement is possible by means of refined estimators of the square of intensity. All this is shown by statistical analysis of simulated Poisson, cluster and hard core processes.     

Variance Reduction in Smoothing Splines

Abstract.  We develop a variance reduction method for smoothing splines. For a given point of estimation, we define a variance-reduced spline estimate as a linear combination of classical spline estimates at three nearby points. We first develop a variance reduction method for spline estimators in univariate regression models. We then develop an analogous variance reduction method for spline estimators in clustered/longitudinal models. Simulation studies are performed which demonstrate the efficacy of our variance reduction methods in finite sample settings. Finally, a real data analysis with the motorcycle data set is performed. Here we consider variance estimation and generate 95% pointwise confidence intervals for the unknown regression function.     

A general central limit theorem and a subsampling variance estimator for α‐mixing point processes

We establish a central limit theorem for multivariate summary statistics of nonstationary α‐mixing spatial point processes and a subsampling estimator of the covariance matrix of such statistics. The central limit theorem is crucial for establishing asymptotic properties of estimators in statistics for spatial point processes. The covariance matrix subsampling estimator is flexible and model free. It is needed, for example, to construct confidence intervals and ellipsoids based on asymptotic normality of estimators. We also provide a simulation study investigating an application of our results to estimating functions.     

Estimation and variable selection in nonparametric heteroscedastic regression

The article considers a Gaussian model with the mean and the variance modeled flexibly as functions of the independent variables. The estimation is carried out using a Bayesian approach that allows the identification of significant variables in the variance function, as well as averaging over all possible models in both the mean and the variance functions. The computation is carried out by a simulation method that is carefully constructed to ensure that it converges quickly and produces iterates from the posterior distribution that have low correlation. Real and simulated examples demonstrate that the proposed method works well. The method in this paper is important because (a) it produces more realistic prediction intervals than nonparametric regression estimators that assume a constant variance; (b) variable selection identifies the variables in the variance function that are important; (c) variable selection and model averaging produce more efficient prediction intervals than those obtained by regular nonparametric regression.     

Plug-in estimators for the mean value and variance functions in delayed renewal processes

Abstract

In this paper, we deal with the problem of estimating the delayed renewal and variance functions in delayed renewal processes. Two parametric plug-in estimators for these functions are proposed and their unbiasedness, asymptotic unbiasedness and consistency properties are investigated. The asymptotic normality of these estimators are established. Further, a method for the computation of the estimators is given. Finally, the performances of the estimators are evaluated for small sample sizes by a simulation study.     

Structured Spatio-Temporal Shot-Noise Cox Point Process Models, with a View to Modelling Forest Fires

Abstract.  Spatio-temporal Cox point process models with a multiplicative structure for the driving random intensity, incorporating covariate information into temporal and spatial components, and with a residual term modelled by a shot-noise process, are considered. Such models are flexible and tractable for statistical analysis, using spatio-temporal versions of intensity and inhomogeneous K -functions, quick estimation procedures based on composite likelihoods and minimum contrast estimation, and easy simulation techniques. These advantages are demonstrated in connection with the analysis of a relatively large data set consisting of 2796 days and 5834 spatial locations of fires. The model is compared with a spatio-temporal log-Gaussian Cox point process model, and likelihood-based methods are discussed to some extent.     

Variational Inference for Heteroscedastic Semiparametric Regression

We develop fast mean field variational methodology for Bayesian heteroscedastic semiparametric regression, in which both the mean and variance are smooth, but otherwise arbitrary, functions of the predictors. Our resulting algorithms are purely algebraic, devoid of numerical integration and Monte Carlo sampling. The locality property of mean field variational Bayes implies that the methodology also applies to larger models possessing variance function components. Simulation studies indicate good to excellent accuracy, and considerable time savings compared with Markov chain Monte Carlo. We also provide some illustrations from applications.     

Computation of the mean value and variance functions in geometric process

Geometric process (GP) is widely used as a non-stationary stochastic model in reliability analysis. In many of applications related with GP its mean value and variance functions are needed. Since there are no analytical forms of these functions in a lot of situations their computations are of importance. In this study, a numerical approximation and Monte Carlo estimation method based on the convolutions of distribution functions have been proposed for both the mean value and variance functions.     

Asymptotic properties of maximum quasi-likelihood estimator in quasi-likelihood nonlinear models with misspecified variance function

The quasi-likelihood function proposed by Wedderburn [Quasi-likelihood functions, generalized linear models, and the Gauss–Newton method. Biometrika. 1974;61:439–447] broadened the application scope of generalized linear models (GLM) by specifying the mean and variance function instead of the entire distribution. However, in many situations, complete specification of variance function in the quasi-likelihood approach may not be realistic. Following Fahrmeir's [Maximum likelihood estimation in misspecified generalized linear models. Statistics. 1990;21:487–502] treating with misspecified GLM, we define a quasi-likelihood nonlinear models (QLNM) with misspecified variance function by replacing the unknown variance function with a known function. In this paper, we propose some mild regularity conditions, under which the existence and the asymptotic normality of the maximum quasi-likelihood estimator (MQLE) are obtained in QLNM with misspecified variance function. We suggest computing MQLE of unknown parameter in QLNM with misspecified variance function by the Gauss–Newton iteration procedure and show it to work well in a simulation study.     

联合均值与方差模型的统计诊断

研究了联合均值与方差模型,考虑了基于数据删除模型的参数估计和统计诊断,比较删除模型与未删除模型相应统计量之间的差异。首次提出了基于联合均值与方差模型的诊断统计量和局部影响分析。通过模拟研究和实例分析,给出了不同的诊断统计量来判别异常点或强影响点,研究表明提出的理论和方法是有用和有效的。     

Distribution of Increases in Residual Log Likelihood for Nested Spatial Models

Here we review nested relationships between models in the Matérn family of spatial models. The problem of comparing nested statistical models is straightforward in regular parametric problems via the likelihood ratio statistics and its asymptotic distribution. Here we examine the distribution of increments in residual log likelihood between nested spatial models when the null hypothesis is that the spatial structure is a convex combination of white noise and the de Wijs process, also known by its logarithmic covariance function. This study is carried out by simulation of spatial processes and the important aspects of this work include how to simulate a spatial process of order 0, the lack of strong bias in the estimates of variance components, and the validity of the usual asymptotic results for nested spatial models examined here.     

POWER FUNCTION FOR INVERSE GAUSSIAN REGRESSION MODELS

Inverse Gaussian regression models are useful for data where both the independent and dependent variable are nonnegative and the variance of the dependent variable depends on the independent variable. Zero intercept inverse Gaussian regression models are presented with nonconstant variance, constant ratio of variance to the mean and constant coefficient of variation. The power function for testing hypotheses about the slope is given for all of these models.     

A spatial model for the needle losses of pine-trees in the forests of Baden-Württemberg: an application of Bayesian structured additive regression

Summary.  The data that are analysed are from a monitoring survey which was carried out in 1994 in the forests of Baden-Württemberg, a federal state in the south-western region of Germany. The survey is part of a large monitoring scheme that has been carried out since the 1980s at different spatial and temporal resolutions to observe the increase in forest damage. One indicator for tree vitality is tree defoliation, which is mainly caused by intrinsic factors, age and stand conditions, but also by biotic (e.g. insects) and abiotic stresses (e.g. industrial emissions). In the survey, needle loss of pine-trees and many potential covariates are recorded at about 580 grid points of a 4 km × 4 km grid. The aim is to identify a set of predictors for needle loss and to investigate the relationships between the needle loss and the predictors. The response variable needle loss is recorded as a percentage in 5% steps estimated by eye using binoculars and categorized into healthy trees (10% or less), intermediate trees (10–25%) and damaged trees (25% or more). We use a Bayesian cumulative threshold model with non-linear functions of continuous variables and a random effect for spatial heterogeneity. For both the non-linear functions and the spatial random effect we use Bayesian versions of P -splines as priors. Our method is novel in that it deals with several non-standard data requirements: the ordinal response variable (the categorized version of needle loss), non-linear effects of covariates, spatial heterogeneity and prediction with missing covariates. The model is a special case of models with a geoadditive or more generally structured additive predictor. Inference can be based on Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques or mixed model technology.