Functional approach for excess mass estimation in the density model

We consider a multivariate density model where we estimate the excess mass of the unknown probability density $f$ at a given level $\nu>0$ from $n$ i.i.d. observed random variables. This problem has several applications such as multimodality testing, density contour clustering, anomaly detection, classification and so on. For the first time in the literature we estimate the excess mass as an integrated functional of the unknown density $f$. We suggest an estimator and evaluate its rate of convergence, when $f$ belongs to general Besov smoothness classes, for several risk measures. A particular care is devoted to implementation and numerical study of the studied procedure. It appears that our procedure improves the plug-in estimator of the excess mass.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-EJS079 the Electronic Journal of Statistics (http://www.i-journals.org/ejs/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Thresholding methods to estimate the copula density

This paper deals with the problem of the multivariate copula density estimation. Using wavelet methods we provide two shrinkage procedures based on thresholding rules for which the knowledge of the regularity of the copula density to be estimated is not necessary. These methods, said to be adaptive, are proved to perform very well when adopting the minimax and the maxiset approaches. Moreover we show that these procedures can be discriminated in the maxiset sense. We produce an estimation algorithm whose qualities are evaluated thanks some simulation. Last, we propose a real life application for financial data

Thresholding methods to estimate the copula density

This paper deals with the problem of the multivariate copula density estimation. Using wavelet methods we provide two shrinkage procedures based on thresholding rules for which the knowledge of the regularity of the copula density to be estimated is not necessary. These methods, said to be adaptive, are proved to perform very well when adopting the minimax and the maxiset approaches. Moreover we show that these procedures can be discriminated in the maxiset sense. We produce an estimation algorithm whose qualities are evaluated thanks some simulation. Last, we propose a real life application for financial data

A test of goodness-of-fit for the copula densities

We consider the problem of testing hypotheses on the copula density from $n$ bi-dimensional observations. We wish to test the null hypothesis characterized by a parametric class against a composite nonparametric alternative. Each density under the alternative is separated in the $L_2$-norm from any density lying in the null hypothesis. The copula densities under consideration are supposed to belong to a range of Besov balls. According to the minimax approach, the testing problem is solved in an adaptive framework: it leads to a $\log\log$ term loss in the minimax rate of testing in comparison with the non-adaptive case. A smoothness-free test statistic that achieves the minimax rate is proposed. The lower bound is also proved. Besides, the empirical performance of the test procedure is demonstrated with both simulated and real data

Grouping Strategies and Thresholding for High Dimensional Linear Models

The estimation problem in a high regression model with structured sparsity is investigated. An algorithm using a two steps block thresholding procedure called GR-LOL is provided. Convergence rates are produced: they depend on simple coherence-type indices of the Gram matrix -easily checkable on the data- as well as sparsity assumptions of the model parameters measured by a combination of $l_1$ within-blocks with $l_q,q<1$ between-blocks norms. The simplicity of the coherence indicator suggests ways to optimize the rates of convergence when the group structure is not naturally given by the problem and is unknown. In such a case, an auto-driven procedure is provided to determine the regressors groups (number and contents). An intensive practical study compares our grouping methods with the standard LOL algorithm. We prove that the grouping rarely deteriorates the results but can improve them very significantly. GR-LOL is also compared with group-Lasso procedures and exhibits a very encouraging behavior. The results are quite impressive, especially when GR-LOL algorithm is combined with a grouping pre-processing

Adaptive estimation of the transition density of a particular hidden Markov chain

We study the following model of hidden Markov chain: $Y_i=X_i+\epsilon_i$, $i=1,...,n+1$ with $(X_i)$ a real-valued positive recurrent and stationary Markov chain and $(\epsilon_i)_{1\leq i\leq n+1}$ a noise independent of the sequence $(X_i)$ having a known distribution. We present an adaptive estimator of the transition density based on the quotient of a deconvolution estimator of the density of $X_i$ and an estimator of the density of $(X_i,X_{i+1})$. These estimators are obtained by contrast minimization and model selection. We evaluate the $L2$ risk and its rate of convergence for ordinary smooth and supersmooth noise with regard to ordinary smooth and supersmooth chains. Some examples are also detailed

Nonparametric estimation of the stationary density and the transition density of a Markov chain

In this paper, we study first the problem of nonparametric estimation of the stationary density $f$ of a discrete-time Markov chain $(X_i)$. We consider a collection of projection estimators on finite dimensional linear spaces. We select an estimator among the collection by minimizing a penalized contrast. The same technique enables to estimate the density $g$ of $(X_i, X_{i+1})$ and so to provide an adaptive estimator of the transition density $\pi=g/f$. We give bounds in $L^2$ norm for these estimators and we show that they are adaptive in the minimax sense over a large class of Besov spaces. Some examples and simulations are also provided