65 research outputs found
Group Symmetry and non-Gaussian Covariance Estimation
We consider robust covariance estimation with group symmetry constraints.
Non-Gaussian covariance estimation, e.g., Tyler scatter estimator and
Multivariate Generalized Gaussian distribution methods, usually involve
non-convex minimization problems. Recently, it was shown that the underlying
principle behind their success is an extended form of convexity over the
geodesics in the manifold of positive definite matrices. A modern approach to
improve estimation accuracy is to exploit prior knowledge via additional
constraints, e.g., restricting the attention to specific classes of covariances
which adhere to prior symmetry structures. In this paper, we prove that such
group symmetry constraints are also geodesically convex and can therefore be
incorporated into various non-Gaussian covariance estimators. Practical
examples of such sets include: circulant, persymmetric and complex/quaternion
proper structures. We provide a simple numerical technique for finding maximum
likelihood estimates under such constraints, and demonstrate their performance
advantage using synthetic experiments
Regularized Covariance Matrix Estimation in Complex Elliptically Symmetric Distributions Using the Expected Likelihood Approach - Part 2: The Under-Sampled Case
In the first part of this series of two papers, we extended the expected likelihood approach originally developed in the Gaussian case, to the broader class of complex elliptically symmetric (CES) distributions and complex angular central Gaussian (ACG) distributions. More precisely, we demonstrated that the probability density function (p.d.f.) of the likelihood ratio (LR) for the (unknown) actual scatter matrix \mSigma_{0} does not depend on the latter: it only depends on the density generator for the CES distribution and is distribution-free in the case of ACG distributed data, i.e., it only depends on the matrix dimension and the number of independent training samples , assuming that . Additionally, regularized scatter matrix estimates based on the EL methodology were derived. In this second part, we consider the under-sampled scenario () which deserves a specific treatment since conventional maximum likelihood estimates do not exist. Indeed, inference about the scatter matrix can only be made in the -dimensional subspace spanned by the columns of the data matrix. We extend the results derived under the Gaussian assumption to the CES and ACG class of distributions. Invariance properties of the under-sampled likelihood ratio evaluated at \mSigma_{0} are presented. Remarkably enough, in the ACG case, the p.d.f. of this LR can be written in a rather simple form as a product of beta distributed random variables. The regularized schemes derived in the first part, based on the EL principle, are extended to the under-sampled scenario and assessed through numerical simulations
Regularized Covariance Matrix Estimation in Complex Elliptically Symmetric Distributions Using the Expected Likelihood Approach - Part 1: The Over-Sampled Case
In \cite{Abramovich04}, it was demonstrated that the likelihood ratio (LR) for multivariate complex Gaussian distribution has the invariance property that can be exploited in many applications. Specifically, the probability density function (p.d.f.) of this LR for the (unknown) actual covariance matrix does not depend on this matrix and is fully specified by the matrix dimension and the number of independent training samples . Since this p.d.f. could therefore be pre-calculated for any a priori known , one gets a possibility to compare the LR of any derived covariance matrix estimate against this p.d.f., and eventually get an estimate that is statistically ``as likely'' as the a priori unknown actual covariance matrix. This ``expected likelihood'' (EL) quality assessment allows for significant improvement of MUSIC DOA estimation performance in the so-called ``threshold area'' \cite{Abramovich04,Abramovich07d}, and for diagonal loading and TVAR model order selection in adaptive detectors \cite{Abramovich07,Abramovich07b}. Recently, a broad class of the so-called complex elliptically symmetric (CES) distributions has been introduced for description of highly in-homogeneous clutter returns. The aim of this series of two papers is to extend the EL approach to this class of CES distributions as well as to a particularly important derivative of CES, namely the complex angular central distribution (ACG). For both cases, we demonstrate a similar invariance property for the LR associated with the true scatter matrix \mSigma_{0}. Furthermore, we derive fixed point regularized covariance matrix estimates using the generalized expected likelihood methodology. This first part is devoted to the conventional scenario () while Part 2 deals with the under-sampled scenario ()
Optimal trading strategies - a time series approach
Motivated by recent advances in the spectral theory of auto-covariance
matrices, we are led to revisit a reformulation of Markowitz' mean-variance
portfolio optimization approach in the time domain. In its simplest incarnation
it applies to a single traded asset and allows to find an optimal trading
strategy which - for a given return - is minimally exposed to market price
fluctuations. The model is initially investigated for a range of synthetic
price processes, taken to be either second order stationary, or to exhibit
second order stationary increments. Attention is paid to consequences of
estimating auto-covariance matrices from small finite samples, and
auto-covariance matrix cleaning strategies to mitigate against these are
investigated. Finally we apply our framework to real world data
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