On the Estimation of Integrated Covariance Functions of Stationary Random Fields

Abstract.  For stationary vector-valued random fields on     the asymptotic covariance matrix for estimators of the mean vector can be given by integrated covariance functions. To construct asymptotic confidence intervals and significance tests for the mean vector, non-parametric estimators of these integrated covariance functions are required. Integrability conditions are derived under which the estimators of the covariance matrix are mean-square consistent. For random fields induced by stationary Boolean models with convex grains, these conditions are expressed by sufficient assumptions on the grain distribution. Performance issues are discussed by means of numerical examples for Gaussian random fields and the intrinsic volume densities of planar Boolean models with uniformly bounded grains.     

Kernel Density Estimation with Generalized Binning

We propose kernel density estimators based on prebinned data. We use generalized binning schemes based on the quantiles points of a certain auxiliary distribution function. Therein the uniform distribution corresponds to usual binning. The statistical accuracy of the resulting kernel estimators is studied, i.e. we derive mean squared error results for the closeness of these estimators to both the true function and the kernel estimator based on the original data set. Our results show the influence of the choice of the auxiliary density on the binned kernel estimators and they reveal that non-uniform binning can be worthwhile.     

An Asymmetric Kernel Estimator of Density Function for Stationary Associated Sequences

Here, we apply the smoothing technique proposed by Chaubey et al. (2007 Chaubey , Y. P. , Sen , A. , Sen , P. K. ( 2007 ). A new smooth density estimator for non-negative random variables. Technical Report No. 1/07. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada . [Google Scholar]) for the empirical survival function studied in Bagai and Prakasa Rao (1991 Bagai , I. , Prakasa Rao , B. L. S. ( 1991 ). Estimation of the survival function for stationary associated processes . Statist. Probab. Lett. 12 : 385 – 391 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) for a sequence of stationary non-negative associated random variables.The derivative of this estimator in turn is used to propose a nonparametric density estimator. The asymptotic properties of the resulting estimators are studied and contrasted with some other competing estimators. A simulation study is carried out comparing the recent estimator based on the Poisson weights (Chaubey et al., 2011 Chaubey , Y. P. , Dewan , I. , Li , J. ( 2011 ). Smooth estimation of survival and density functions for a stationary associated process using poisson weights . Statist. Probab. Lett. 81 : 267 – 276 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) showing that the two estimators have comparable finite sample global as well as local behavior.     

Goodness-of-fit Tests Based on the Kernel Density Estimator

Abstract.  Given an i.i.d. sample drawn from a density f on the real line, the problem of testing whether f is in a given class of densities is considered. Testing procedures constructed on the basis of minimizing the L ₁-distance between a kernel density estimate and any density in the hypothesized class are investigated. General non-asymptotic bounds are derived for the power of the test. It is shown that the concentration of the data-dependent smoothing factor and the 'size' of the hypothesized class of densities play a key role in the performance of the test. Consistency and non-asymptotic performance bounds are established in several special cases, including testing simple hypotheses, translation/scale classes and symmetry. Simulations are also carried out to compare the behaviour of the method with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and an L ₂ density-based approach due to Fan [ Econ. Theory 10 (1994) 316].     

On the Estimation of the Density of a Directional Data Stream

Many directional data such as wind directions can be collected extremely easily so that experiments typically yield a huge number of data points that are sequentially collected. To deal with such big data, the traditional nonparametric techniques rapidly require a lot of time to be computed and therefore become useless in practice if real time or online forecasts are expected. In this paper, we propose a recursive kernel density estimator for directional data which (i) can be updated extremely easily when a new set of observations is available and (ii) keeps asymptotically the nice features of the traditional kernel density estimator. Our methodology is based on Robbins–Monro stochastic approximations ideas. We show that our estimator outperforms the traditional techniques in terms of computational time while being extremely competitive in terms of efficiency with respect to its competitors in the sequential context considered here. We obtain expressions for its asymptotic bias and variance together with an almost sure convergence rate and an asymptotic normality result. Our technique is illustrated on a wind dataset collected in Spain. A Monte‐Carlo study confirms the nice properties of our recursive estimator with respect to its non‐recursive counterpart.     

Conditional Quantile Estimation for Truncated and Associated Data

Abstract

In survival or reliability studies, it is common to have data which are not only incomplete but weakly dependent too. Random truncation and censoring are two common forms of such data when they are neither independent nor strongly mixing but rather associated. The focus of this paper is on estimating conditional distribution and conditional quantile functions for randomly left truncated data satisfying association condition. We aim at deriving strong uniform consistency rates and asymptotic normality for the estimators and thereby, extend to association case some results stated under iid and α-mixing hypotheses. The performance of the quantile function estimator is evaluated on simulated data sets.     

Uniform in Bandwidth Estimation of Integral Functionals of the Density Function

Abstract. We apply recent results on local U‐statistics to obtain uniform in bandwidth consistency and central limit theorems for some commonly used estimators of integral functionals of density functions.     

Large Deviations Limit Theorems for the Kernel Density Estimator

We establish pointwise and uniform large deviations limit theorems of Chernoff-type for the non-parametric kernel density estimator based on a sequence of independent and identically distributed random variables. The limits are well-identified and depend upon the underlying kernel and density function. We derive then some implications of our results in the study of asymptotic efficiency of the goodness-of-fit test based on the maximal deviation of the kernel density estimator as well as the inaccuracy rate of this estimate     

中国城镇化的地域非均衡及其动态演进——来自基尼系数及核密度估计的经验证据

基于中国1995-2013年省域数据,采用基尼系数及其分解、核密度估计方法,从人口和土地城镇化入手,系统分析了中国城镇化的地域非均衡及其动态演化规律。结果发现,1.中国人口和土地城镇化分布均呈现出由东往西逐渐降低的规律,城镇化非均衡主要体现在土地城镇化,而人口城镇化则未出现明显分异。2.全国尺度人口城镇化基尼系数随时间不断下降,城镇化非均衡逐渐减小;土地城镇化基尼系数则呈倒"U"型,城镇化非均衡先增后减。3.东中西三大区域内人口城镇化基尼系数均呈直线下降,区域间非均衡东部最大,西部次之,中部最小;土地城镇化非均衡则是东部大于中部和西部,但近年来西部已超过东部。4.人口城镇化非均衡在1995-2001年间主要来自地区间重叠,而后2002-2013年主要由地区间差异驱动;土地城镇化非均衡则主要来源于地区间差异。5.核密度估计显示人口城镇化增速较快,波动较小,而土地城镇化则极化趋势明显,波动较大。新型城镇化的协调推进宜从人口和土地城镇化两方面着手,特别要注意土地城镇化的失衡发展问题。     

Nonparametric estimation of the hazard function under dependence conditions

The estimation of the hazard rate has a great number of practical appli¬cations in dependence situations (seismicity analysis, reliability, economics), Based on kernel estimates of the density and the distribution function, we study the properties of the nonparametric estimator of the hazard function as-sociated with a strongly mixing time series. We prove consistency and asymp¬totic normality properties, and a cross-validation method for the smoothing parameter selection is studied. Some simulations and a practical application to real data are also shown.     

A New Kernel Distribution Function Estimator Based on a Non-parametric Transformation of the Data

Abstract.  A new kernel distribution function (df) estimator based on a non-parametric transformation of the data is proposed. It is shown that the asymptotic bias and mean squared error of the estimator are considerably smaller than that of the standard kernel df estimator. For the practical implementation of the new estimator a data-based choice of the bandwidth is proposed. Two possible areas of application are the non-parametric smoothed bootstrap and survival analysis. In the latter case new estimators for the survival function and the mean residual life function are derived.     

The Strong Consistency of M Estimator in a Linear Model for Negatively Dependent Random Samples

The strong consistency of M estimators of the regression parameters in linear models for negatively dependent random errors under some mild conditions is established, which is an essential improvement on the relevant results in the literature on the moment conditions and dependent errors. Especially, Theorems 1 and 2 of Wu (2006 Wu , Q. Y. ( 2006 ). Strong consistency of M estimator in linear model for negatively associated samples . J. Syst. Sci. Complex. 19 ( 4 ): 592 – 600 .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) are not only extended to the case of negatively dependent random errors, but also are improved essentially on the moment conditions.     

A Non‐Parametric Estimator of the Spectral Density of a Continuous‐Time Gaussian Process Observed at Random Times

Abstract. In numerous applications data are observed at random times and an estimated graph of the spectral density may be relevant for characterizing and explaining phenomena. By using a wavelet analysis, one derives a non‐parametric estimator of the spectral density of a Gaussian process with stationary increments (or a stationary Gaussian process) from the observation of one path at random discrete times. For every positive frequency, this estimator is proved to satisfy a central limit theorem with a convergence rate depending on the roughness of the process and the moment of random durations between successive observations. In the case of stationary Gaussian processes, one can compare this estimator with estimators based on the empirical periodogram. Both estimators reach the same optimal rate of convergence, but the estimator based on wavelet analysis converges for a different class of random times. Simulation examples and an application to biological data are also provided.     

Posterior consistency for the spectral density of non-Gaussian stationary time series

Various nonparametric approaches for Bayesian spectral density estimation of stationary time series have been suggested in the literature, mostly based on the Whittle likelihood approximation. A generalization of this approximation involving a nonparametric correction of a parametric likelihood has been proposed in the literature with a proof of posterior consistency for spectral density estimation in combination with the Bernstein–Dirichlet process prior for Gaussian time series. In this article, we will extend the posterior consistency result to non-Gaussian time series by employing a general consistency theorem for dependent data and misspecified models. As a special case, posterior consistency for the spectral density under the Whittle likelihood is also extended to non-Gaussian time series. Small sample properties of this approach are illustrated with several examples of non-Gaussian time series.     

Asymptotic Behavior of the Kernel Density Estimator from a Geometric Viewpoint

From the view of a geometric approach, we consider the problem of density estimation on the m-dimensional unit sphere by using the kernel method. The definition of the kernel estimator is motivated from the concept of the exponential map. This article shows that the asymptotic behavior of the estimator contains a geometric quantity (the sectional curvature) on the unit sphere. This implies that the behavior depends on whether the sectional curvature is positive or negative. Using observed data on normals to the orbital planes of long-period comets, numerical examples on the two-dimensional unit sphere are given.     

Estimation of the Average Survival Function Using a Censored Data Regression Model

In the presence of covariates information, assuming the linear relationship between a transformation of survival time and covariates, we propose a new estimator of survival function and show its consistency. In addition, a comparison of the proposed estimator with the product-limit estimator introduced by Kaplan and Meier (1958) is performed through Monte Carlo simulation studies. We illustrate the proposed estimator with the updated Stanford heart transplant data.     

A Note on Ergodic Processes Prediction via Estimation of the Conditional Mode Function

We establish the uniform almost-sure convergence of a kernel estimate of the conditional density for an ergodic process. A useful application to the prediction of the ergodic process via the conditional mode function is also given.     

Estimation and simulation of conditional hazard function in the quasi-associated framework when the observations are linked via a functional single-index structure

We consider the estimation of the conditional hazard function of a scalar response variable Y given a Hilbertian random variable X when the observations are linked via a single-index structure in the quasi-associated framework. We establish the pointwise almost complete convergence and the uniform almost complete convergence (with the rate) of the estimate of this model. A simulation is given to illustrate the good behavior in the practice of our methodology.     

Convergence rate of the kernel regression estimator for associated and truncated data

This paper studies the behaviour of the kernel estimator of the regression function for associated data in the random left truncated model. The uniform strong consistency rate over a real compact set of the estimate is established. The finite sample performance of the estimator is investigated through extensive simulation studies.