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.     

Approximate reference priors for Gaussian random fields

Reference priors are theoretically attractive for the analysis of geostatistical data since they enable automatic Bayesian analysis and have desirable Bayesian and frequentist properties. But their use is hindered by computational hurdles that make their application in practice challenging. In this work, we derive a new class of default priors that approximate reference priors for the parameters of some Gaussian random fields. It is based on an approximation to the integrated likelihood of the covariance parameters derived from the spectral approximation of stationary random fields. This prior depends on the structure of the mean function and the spectral density of the model evaluated at a set of spectral points associated with an auxiliary regular grid. In addition to preserving the desirable Bayesian and frequentist properties, these approximate reference priors are more stable, and their computations are much less onerous than those of exact reference priors. Unlike exact reference priors, the marginal approximate reference prior of correlation parameter is always proper, regardless of the mean function or the smoothness of the correlation function. This property has important consequences for covariance model selection. An illustration comparing default Bayesian analyses is provided with a dataset of lead pollution in Galicia, Spain.     

Fitting Gaussian Markov Random Fields to Gaussian Fields

This paper discusses the following task often encountered in building Bayesian spatial models: construct a homogeneous Gaussian Markov random field (GMRF) on a lattice with correlation properties either as present in some observed data, or consistent with prior knowledge. The Markov property is essential in designing computationally efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms to analyse such models. We argue that we can restate both tasks as that of fitting a GMRF to a prescribed stationary Gaussian field on a lattice when both local and global properties are important. We demonstrate that using the KullbackLeibler discrepancy often fails for this task, giving severely undesirable behaviour of the correlation function for lags outside the neighbourhood. We propose a new criterion that resolves this difficulty, and demonstrate that GMRFs with small neighbourhoods can approximate Gaussian fields surprisingly well even with long correlation lengths. Finally, we discuss implications of our findings for likelihood based inference for general Markov random fields when global properties are also important.     

Efficiency of linear predictors for periodic processes using an incorrect covariance function

Previous work by the author showed that for interpolating a weakly stationary random field, using an incorrect spectral density that has similar high-frequency behavior as the correct spectral density can yield asymptotically optimal linear predictions as the number of observations in a fixed domain increases. However, explicit results on how fast this convergence to optimality occurs could only be obtained for a limited class of processes in one dimension. By considering periodic processes, this work obtains explicit rates of convergence for a broad class of processes in any number of dimensions. These results suggest analogous ones for stationary processes.     

Almost sure limit theorem for stationary Gaussian random fields

We obtain an almost sure version of a maximum limit theorem for stationary Gaussian random fields under some covariance conditions. As a by-product, we also obtain a weak convergence of the stationary Gaussian random field maximum, which is interesting independently.     

Lévy‐based Modelling in Brain Imaging

Abstract. A substantive problem in neuroscience is the lack of valid statistical methods for non‐Gaussian random fields. In the present study, we develop a flexible, yet tractable model for a random field based on kernel smoothing of a so‐called Lévy basis. The resulting field may be Gaussian, but there are many other possibilities, including random fields based on Gamma, inverse Gaussian and normal inverse Gaussian (NIG) Lévy bases. It is easy to estimate the parameters of the model and accordingly to assess by simulation the quantiles of test statistics commonly used in neuroscience. We give a concrete example of magnetic resonance imaging scans that are non‐Gaussian. For these data, simulations under the fitted models show that traditional methods based on Gaussian random field theory may leave small, but significant changes in signal level undetected, while these changes are detectable under a non‐Gaussian Lévy model.     

Aggregation of isotropic autoregressive fields

This note constitutes a corrigendum to the article of Azomahou [2009, Memory properties and aggregation of spatial autoregressive models. J. Statist. Plann. Inference, 139, 2581-2597]. The aggregation of isotropic four nearest neighbors autoregressive models on the lattice Z², with random coefficient, is investigated. The spectral density of the resulting random field is studied in details for a large class of law of the AR coefficient. Depending on this law, the aggregated field may exhibit short memory or isotropic long memory.     

Isotropic Random Fields with the Von Kármán–Whittle Type Correlation Structure

This article proposes a subclass of stationary Gaussian or elliptically contoured random fields whose covariance functions are isotropic and are the linear combination of the von Kármán–Whittle structure. A particular example of this type of random fields is the so-called spartan random field recently appeared in the applied literature.     

Adaptive Gaussian Markov random fields with applications in human brain mapping

Summary.  Functional magnetic resonance imaging has become a standard technology in human brain mapping. Analyses of the massive spatiotemporal functional magnetic resonance imaging data sets often focus on parametric or non-parametric modelling of the temporal component, whereas spatial smoothing is based on Gaussian kernels or random fields. A weakness of Gaussian spatial smoothing is underestimation of activation peaks or blurring of high curvature transitions between activated and non-activated regions of the brain. To improve spatial adaptivity, we introduce a class of inhomogeneous Markov random fields with stochastic interaction weights in a space-varying coefficient model. For given weights, the random field is conditionally Gaussian, but marginally it is non-Gaussian. Fully Bayesian inference, including estimation of weights and variance parameters, can be carried out through efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation. Although motivated by the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging data, the methodological development is general and can also be used for spatial smoothing and regression analysis of areal data on irregular lattices. An application to stylized artificial data and to real functional magnetic resonance imaging data from a visual stimulation experiment demonstrates the performance of our approach in comparison with Gaussian and robustified non-Gaussian Markov random-field models.     

A Mixed Model Approach for Geoadditive Hazard Regression

Abstract.  Mixed model based approaches for semiparametric regression have gained much interest in recent years, both in theory and application. They provide a unified and modular framework for penalized likelihood and closely related empirical Bayes inference. In this article, we develop mixed model methodology for a broad class of Cox-type hazard regression models where the usual linear predictor is generalized to a geoadditive predictor incorporating non-parametric terms for the (log-)baseline hazard rate, time-varying coefficients and non-linear effects of continuous covariates, a spatial component, and additional cluster-specific frailties. Non-linear and time-varying effects are modelled through penalized splines, while spatial components are treated as correlated random effects following either a Markov random field or a stationary Gaussian random field prior. Generalizing existing mixed model methodology, inference is derived using penalized likelihood for regression coefficients and (approximate) marginal likelihood for smoothing parameters. In a simulation we study the performance of the proposed method, in particular comparing it with its fully Bayesian counterpart using Markov chain Monte Carlo methodology, and complement the results by some asymptotic considerations. As an application, we analyse leukaemia survival data from northwest England.     

Intrinsic autoregressions at multiple resolutions

We consider intrinsic autoregression models at multiple resolutions. Firstly, we describe a method to construct a class of approximately coherent Markov random fields (MRF) at different scales, overcoming the problem that the marginal Gaussian MRF is not, in general, a MRF with respect to any non-trivial neighbourhood structure. This is based on the approximation of non-Markov Gaussian fields as Gaussian MRFs and is optimal according to different theoretic notions such as Kullback–Leibler divergence. We extend the method to intrinsic autoregressions providing a novel multi-resolution framework.     

Random sampling of long-memory stationary processes

This paper investigates the second order properties of a stationary process after random sampling. While a short memory process gives always rise to a short memory one, we prove that long-memory can disappear when the sampling law has heavy enough tails. We prove that under rather general conditions the existence of the spectral density is preserved by random sampling. We also investigate the effects of deterministic sampling on seasonal long-memory.     

Sparse Approximations of Fractional Matérn Fields

We consider fast lattice approximation methods for a solution of a certain stochastic non‐local pseudodifferential operator equation. This equation defines a Matérn class random field. We approximate the pseudodifferential operator with truncated Taylor expansion, spectral domain error functional minimization and rounding approximations. This allows us to construct Gaussian Markov random field approximations. We construct lattice approximations with finite‐difference methods. We show that the solutions can be constructed with overdetermined systems of stochastic matrix equations with sparse matrices, and we solve the system of equations with a sparse Cholesky decomposition. We consider convergence of the truncated Taylor approximation by studying band‐limited Matérn fields. We consider the convergence of the discrete approximations to the continuous limits. Finally, we study numerically the accuracy of different approximation methods with an interpolation problem.     

On the Correlation Structure of Gaussian Copula Models for Geostatistical Count Data

We describe a class of random field models for geostatistical count data based on Gaussian copulas. Unlike hierarchical Poisson models often used to describe this type of data, Gaussian copula models allow a more direct modelling of the marginal distributions and association structure of the count data. We study in detail the correlation structure of these random fields when the family of marginal distributions is either negative binomial or zero‐inflated Poisson; these represent two types of overdispersion often encountered in geostatistical count data. We also contrast the correlation structure of one of these Gaussian copula models with that of a hierarchical Poisson model having the same family of marginal distributions, and show that the former is more flexible than the latter in terms of range of feasible correlation, sensitivity to the mean function and modelling of isotropy. An exploratory analysis of a dataset of Japanese beetle larvae counts illustrate some of the findings. All of these investigations show that Gaussian copula models are useful alternatives to hierarchical Poisson models, specially for geostatistical count data that display substantial correlation and small overdispersion.     

Asymptotic Location of Largest Values of a Stationary Random Field

The study of the relationship between extreme values of dependent random fields and their locations has important practical applications, for instance, when dealing with censored data.

In this article we study the asymptotic behavior of the joint locations of the largest order statistics generated by a stationary random field with extremal index as well as the joint limiting distribution of the location of a high level exceedance nearest of the origin and the location of the maximum.     

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.     

Spatial Matérn Fields Driven by Non‐Gaussian Noise

The article studies non‐Gaussian extensions of a recently discovered link between certain Gaussian random fields, expressed as solutions to stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs), and Gaussian Markov random fields. The focus is on non‐Gaussian random fields with Matérn covariance functions, and in particular, we show how the SPDE formulation of a Laplace moving‐average model can be used to obtain an efficient simulation method as well as an accurate parameter estimation technique for the model. This should be seen as a demonstration of how these techniques can be used, and generalizations to more general SPDEs are readily available.     

Characteristics of some classes of space–time covariance functions

Although a wide list of classes of space–time covariance functions is now available, selecting an appropriate class of models for a variable under study is still difficult and it represents a priority problem with respect to the choice of a particular model of a specified class. Then, knowing the characteristics of various classes of covariances, and their auxiliary functions, and matching those with the characteristics of the empirical space–time covariance surface might be helpful in the selection of a suitable class. In this paper some characteristics, such as behavior at the origin, asymptotic behavior, nonseparability and anisotropy aspects, are studied for some well known classes of covariance models of stationary space–time random fields. Moreover, some important issues related to modeling choices are described and a case study is presented.     

Approximate computations for binary Markov random fields and their use in Bayesian models

Discrete Markov random fields form a natural class of models to represent images and spatial datasets. The use of such models is, however, hampered by a computationally intractable normalising constant. This makes parameter estimation and a fully Bayesian treatment of discrete Markov random fields difficult. We apply approximation theory for pseudo-Boolean functions to binary Markov random fields and construct approximations and upper and lower bounds for the associated computationally intractable normalising constant. As a by-product of this process we also get a partially ordered Markov model approximation of the binary Markov random field. We present numerical examples with both the pairwise interaction Ising model and with higher-order interaction models, showing the quality of our approximations and bounds. We also present simulation examples and one real data example demonstrating how the approximations and bounds can be applied for parameter estimation and to handle a fully Bayesian model computationally.     

Adaptive Bayesian Procedures Using Random Series Priors

We consider a general class of prior distributions for nonparametric Bayesian estimation which uses finite random series with a random number of terms. A prior is constructed through distributions on the number of basis functions and the associated coefficients. We derive a general result on adaptive posterior contraction rates for all smoothness levels of the target function in the true model by constructing an appropriate ‘sieve’ and applying the general theory of posterior contraction rates. We apply this general result on several statistical problems such as density estimation, various nonparametric regressions, classification, spectral density estimation and functional regression. The prior can be viewed as an alternative to the commonly used Gaussian process prior, but properties of the posterior distribution can be analysed by relatively simpler techniques. An interesting approximation property of B‐spline basis expansion established in this paper allows a canonical choice of prior on coefficients in a random series and allows a simple computational approach without using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. A simulation study is conducted to show that the accuracy of the Bayesian estimators based on the random series prior and the Gaussian process prior are comparable. We apply the method on Tecator data using functional regression models.