On Weighted Multivariate Sign Functions

Multivariate sign functions are often used for robust estimation and inference. We propose using data dependent weights in association with such functions. The proposed weighted sign functions retain desirable robustness properties, while significantly improving efficiency in estimation and inference compared to unweighted multivariate sign-based methods. Using weighted signs, we demonstrate methods of robust location estimation and robust principal component analysis. We extend the scope of using robust multivariate methods to include robust sufficient dimension reduction and functional outlier detection. Several numerical studies and real data applications demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methodology.Comment: Keywords: Multivariate sign, Principal component analysis, Data depth, Sufficient dimension reductio

Depth weighted scatter estimators

General depth weighted scatter estimators are introduced and investigated. For general depth functions, we find out that these affine equivariant scatter estimators are Fisher consistent and unbiased for a wide range of multivariate distributions, and show that the sample scatter estimators are strong and \sqrtn-consistent and asymptotically normal, and the influence functions of the estimators exist and are bounded in general. We then concentrate on a specific case of the general depth weighted scatter estimators, the projection depth weighted scatter estimators, which include as a special case the well-known Stahel-Donoho scatter estimator whose limiting distribution has long been open until this paper. Large sample behavior, including consistency and asymptotic normality, and efficiency and finite sample behavior, including breakdown point and relative efficiency of the sample projection depth weighted scatter estimators, are thoroughly investigated. The influence function and the maximum bias of the projection depth weighted scatter estimators are derived and examined. Unlike typical high-breakdown competitors, the projection depth weighted scatter estimators can integrate high breakdown point and high efficiency while enjoying a bounded-influence function and a moderate maximum bias curve. Comparisons with leading estimators on asymptotic relative efficiency and gross error sensitivity reveal that the projection depth weighted scatter estimators behave very well overall and, consequently, represent very favorable choices of affine equivariant multivariate scatter estimators.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/009053604000000922 in the Annals of Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Two Procedures for Robust Monitoring of Probability Distributions of Economic Data Streams induced by Depth Functions

Data streams (streaming data) consist of transiently observed, evolving in time, multidimensional data sequences that challenge our computational and/or inferential capabilities. In this paper we propose user friendly approaches for robust monitoring of selected properties of unconditional and conditional distribution of the stream basing on depth functions. Our proposals are robust to a small fraction of outliers and/or inliers but sensitive to a regime change of the stream at the same time. Their implementations are available in our free R package DepthProc.Comment: Operations Research and Decisions, vol. 25, No. 1, 201

A cautionary note on robust covariance plug-in methods

Many multivariate statistical methods rely heavily on the sample covariance matrix. It is well known though that the sample covariance matrix is highly non-robust. One popular alternative approach for "robustifying" the multivariate method is to simply replace the role of the covariance matrix with some robust scatter matrix. The aim of this paper is to point out that in some situations certain properties of the covariance matrix are needed for the corresponding robust "plug-in" method to be a valid approach, and that not all scatter matrices necessarily possess these important properties. In particular, the following three multivariate methods are discussed in this paper: independent components analysis, observational regression and graphical modeling. For each case, it is shown that using a symmetrized robust scatter matrix in place of the covariance matrix results in a proper robust multivariate method.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figure

Affine equivariant rank-weighted L-estimation of multivariate location

In the multivariate one-sample location model, we propose a class of flexible robust, affine-equivariant L-estimators of location, for distributions invoking affine-invariance of Mahalanobis distances of individual observations. An involved iteration process for their computation is numerically illustrated.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, 6 table