Multivariate Spatiotemporal Hawkes Processes and Network Reconstruction

There is often latent network structure in spatial and temporal data and the tools of network analysis can yield fascinating insights into such data. In this paper, we develop a nonparametric method for network reconstruction from spatiotemporal data sets using multivariate Hawkes processes. In contrast to prior work on network reconstruction with point-process models, which has often focused on exclusively temporal information, our approach uses both temporal and spatial information and does not assume a specific parametric form of network dynamics. This leads to an effective way of recovering an underlying network. We illustrate our approach using both synthetic networks and networks constructed from real-world data sets (a location-based social media network, a narrative of crime events, and violent gang crimes). Our results demonstrate that, in comparison to using only temporal data, our spatiotemporal approach yields improved network reconstruction, providing a basis for meaningful subsequent analysis --- such as community structure and motif analysis --- of the reconstructed networks

Parameter estimation of binned Hawkes processes

A key difficulty that arises from real event data is imprecision in the recording of event time-stamps. In many cases, retaining event times with a high precision is expensive due to the sheer volume of activity. Combined with practical limits on the accuracy of measurements, binned data is common. In order to use point processes to model such event data, tools for handling parameter estimation are essential. Here we consider parameter estimation of the Hawkes process, a type of self-exciting point process that has found application in the modeling of financial stock markets, earthquakes and social media cascades. We develop a novel optimization approach to parameter estimation of binned Hawkes processes using a modified Expectation-Maximization algorithm, referred to as Binned Hawkes Expectation Maximization (BH-EM). Through a detailed simulation study, we demonstrate that existing methods are capable of producing severely biased and highly variable parameter estimates and that our novel BH-EM method significantly outperforms them in all studied circumstances. We further illustrate the performance on network flow (NetFlow) data between devices in a real large-scale computer network, to characterize triggering behavior. These results highlight the importance of correct handling of binned data

Latent Gaussian dynamic factor modeling and forecasting for multivariate count time series

This work considers estimation and forecasting in a multivariate count time series model based on a copula-type transformation of a Gaussian dynamic factor model. The estimation is based on second-order properties of the count and underlying Gaussian models and applies to the case where the model dimension is larger than the sample length. In addition, novel cross-validation schemes are suggested for model selection. The forecasting is carried out through a particle-based sequential Monte Carlo, leveraging Kalman filtering techniques. A simulation study and an application are also considered

Dynamics and Inference for Voter Model Processes

We consider a discrete-time voter model process on a set of nodes, each being in one of two states, either 0 or 1. In each time step, each node adopts the state of a randomly sampled neighbor according to sampling probabilities, referred to as node interaction parameters. We study the maximum likelihood estimation of the node interaction parameters from observed node states for a given number of realizations of the voter model process. In contrast to previous work on parameter estimation of network autoregressive processes, whose long-run behavior is according to a stationary stochastic process, the voter model is an absorbing stochastic process that eventually reaches a consensus state. This requires developing a framework for deriving parameter estimation error bounds from observations consisting of several realizations of a voter model process. We present parameter estimation error bounds by interpreting the observation data as being generated according to an extended voter process that consists of cycles, each corresponding to a realization of the voter model process until absorption to a consensus state. In order to obtain these results, consensus time of a voter model process plays an important role. We present new bounds for all moments and a bound that holds with any given probability for consensus time, which may be of independent interest. In contrast to most existing work, our results yield a consensus time bound that holds with high probability. We also present a sampling complexity lower bound for parameter estimation within a prescribed error tolerance for the class of locally stable estimators