arXiv subjects

Gustavo Didier

Publications and source records attributed to Gustavo Didier.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

A spectral clustering-type algorithm for the consistent estimation of the Hurst distribution in moderately high dimensions

Scale invariance (fractality) is a prominent feature of the large-scale behavior of many stochastic systems. In this work, we construct an algorithm for the statistical identification of the Hurst distribution (in particular, the scaling exponents) undergirding a high-dimensional fractal system. The algorithm is based on wavelet random matrices, modified spectral clustering and a model selection step for picking the value of the clustering precision hyperparameter. In a moderately high-dimensional regime where the dimension, the sample size and the scale go to infinity, we show that the algorithm consistently estimates the Hurst distribution. Monte Carlo simulations show that the proposed methodology is efficient for realistic sample sizes and outperforms another popular clustering method based on mixed-Gaussian modeling. We apply the algorithm in the analysis of real-world macroeconomic time series to unveil evidence for cointegration.

stat.ME↗

arXiv2024

On high-dimensional wavelet eigenanalysis

In this paper, we characterize the asymptotic and large scale behavior of the eigenvalues of wavelet random matrices in high dimensions. We assume that possibly non-Gaussian, finite-variance $p$-variate measurements are made of a low-dimensional $r$-variate ($r \ll p$) fractional stochastic process with non-canonical scaling coordinates and in the presence of additive high-dimensional noise. The measurements are correlated both time-wise and between rows. We show that the $r$ largest eigenvalues of the wavelet random matrices, when appropriately rescaled, converge in probability to scale-invariant functions in the high-dimensional limit. By contrast, the remaining $p-r$ eigenvalues remain bounded in probability. Under additional assumptions, we show that the $r$ largest log-eigenvalues of wavelet random matrices exhibit asymptotically Gaussian distributions. The results have direct consequences for statistical inference.

math.ST↗

arXiv2024

Multivariate selfsimilarity: Multiscale eigen-structures for selfsimilarity parameter estimation

Scale-free dynamics, formalized by selfsimilarity, provides a versatile paradigm massively and ubiquitously used to model temporal dynamics in real-world data. However, its practical use has mostly remained univariate so far. By contrast, modern applications often demand multivariate data analysis. Accordingly, models for multivariate selfsimilarity were recently proposed. Nevertheless, they have remained rarely used in practice because of a lack of available robust estimation procedures for the vector of selfsimilarity parameters. Building upon recent mathematical developments, the present work puts forth an efficient estimation procedure based on the theoretical study of the multiscale eigenstructure of the wavelet spectrum of multivariate selfsimilar processes. The estimation performance is studied theoretically in the asymptotic limits of large scale and sample sizes, and computationally for finite-size samples. As a practical outcome, a fully operational and documented multivariate signal processing estimation toolbox is made freely available and is ready for practical use on real-world data. Its potential benefits are illustrated in epileptic seizure prediction from multi-channel EEG data.

stat.ME↗

arXiv2024

On the empirical spectral distribution of large wavelet random matrices based on mixed-Gaussian fractional measurements in moderately high dimensions

In this paper, we characterize the convergence of the (rescaled logarithmic) empirical spectral distribution of wavelet random matrices. We assume a moderately high-dimensional framework where the sample size $n$, the dimension $p(n)$ and, for a fixed integer $j$, the scale $a(n)2^j$ go to infinity in such a way that $\lim_{n \rightarrow \infty}p(n)\cdot a(n)/n = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} o(\sqrt{a(n)/n})= 0$. We suppose the underlying measurement process is a random scrambling of a sample of size $n$ of a growing number $p(n)$ of fractional processes. Each of the latter processes is a fractional Brownian motion conditionally on a randomly chosen Hurst exponent. We show that the (rescaled logarithmic) empirical spectral distribution of the wavelet random matrices converges weakly, in probability, to the distribution of Hurst exponents.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

On the surprising effectiveness of a simple matrix exponential derivative approximation, with application to global SARS-CoV-2

The continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) is the mathematical workhorse of evolutionary biology. Learning CTMC model parameters using modern, gradient-based methods requires the derivative of the matrix exponential evaluated at the CTMC's infinitesimal generator (rate) matrix. Motivated by the derivative's extreme computational complexity as a function of state space cardinality, recent work demonstrates the surprising effectiveness of a naive, first-order approximation for a host of problems in computational biology. In response to this empirical success, we obtain rigorous deterministic and probabilistic bounds for the error accrued by the naive approximation and establish a "blessing of dimensionality" result that is universal for a large class of rate matrices with random entries. Finally, we apply the first-order approximation within surrogate-trajectory Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for the analysis of the early spread of SARS-CoV-2 across 44 geographic regions that comprise a state space of unprecedented dimensionality for unstructured (flexible) CTMC models within evolutionary biology.

stat.CO↗

arXiv2022

Wavelet eigenvalue regression in high dimensions

In this paper, we construct the wavelet eigenvalue regression methodology in high dimensions. We assume that possibly non-Gaussian, finite-variance $p$-variate measurements are made of a low-dimensional $r$-variate ($r \ll p$) fractional stochastic process with non-canonical scaling coordinates and in the presence of additive high-dimensional noise. The measurements are correlated both time-wise and between rows. Building upon the asymptotic and large scale properties of wavelet random matrices in high dimensions, the wavelet eigenvalue regression is shown to be consistent and, under additional assumptions, asymptotically Gaussian in the estimation of the fractal structure of the system. We further construct a consistent estimator of the effective dimension $r$ of the system that significantly increases the robustness of the methodology. The estimation performance over finite samples is studied by means of simulations.

math.ST↗

arXiv2022

The generalized Langevin equation in harmonic potentials: Anomalous diffusion and equipartition of energy

We consider the generalized Langevin equation (GLE) in a harmonic potential with power law decay memory. We study the anomalous diffusion of the particle's displacement and velocity. By comparison with the free particle situation in which the velocity was previously shown to be either diffusive or subdiffusive, we find that, when trapped in a harmonic potential, the particle's displacement may either be diffusive or superdiffusive. Under slightly stronger assumptions on the memory kernel, namely, for kernels related to the broad class of completely monotonic functions, we show that both the free particle and the harmonically bounded GLE satisfy the equipartition of energy condition. This generalizes previously known results for the GLE under particular kernel instances such as the generalized Rouse kernel or (exactly) a power law function.

math.PR↗

arXiv2021

On operator fractional Lévy motion: integral representations and time reversibility

In this paper, we construct operator fractional Lévy motion (ofLm), a broad class of non-Gaussian stochastic processes that are covariance operator self-similar, have wide-sense stationary increments and display infinitely divisible marginal distributions. The ofLm class generalizes the univariate fractional Lévy motion as well as the multivariate operator fractional Brownian motion (ofBm). The ofLm class can be divided into two types, namely, moving average (maofLm) and real harmonizable (rhofLm), both of which share the covariance structure of ofBm under assumptions. We show that maofLm and rhofLm admit stochastic integral representations in the time and Fourier domains, and establish their distinct small- and large-scale limiting behavior. We characterize time reversibility for ofLm through parametric conditions related to its Lévy measure, starting from a framework for the uniqueness of finite second moment, multivariate stochastic integral representations. In particular, we show that, under non-Gaussianity, the parametric conditions for time reversibility are generally more restrictive than those for the Gaussian case (ofBm).

math.PR↗

arXiv2021

Asymptotic theory for the detection of mixing in anomalous diffusion

In this paper, we develop asymptotic theory for the mixing detection methodology proposed by M. Magdziarz and A. Weron [Physical Review E, 84:051138 (2011)]. The assumptions cover a broad family of Gaussian stochastic processes including fractional Gaussian noise and the fractional Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. We show that the asymptotic distribution and convergence rates of the detection statistic may be, respectively, Gaussian or non-Gaussian and standard or nonstandard depending on the diffusion exponent. The results pave the way for mixing detection based on a single observed sample path and by means of robust hypothesis testing.

math.PR↗

arXiv2021

Asymptotic analysis of the mean squared displacement under fractional memory kernels

The generalized Langevin equation (GLE) is a universal model for particle velocity in a viscoelastic medium. In this paper, we consider the GLE family with fractional memory kernels. We show that, in the critical regime where the memory kernel decays like $1/t$ for large $t$, the mean squared displacement (MSD) of particle motion grows linearly in time up to a slowly varying (logarithm) term. Moreover, we establish the well-posedness of the GLE in this regime. This solves an open question from [Mckinley 2018 Anomalous] and completes the answer to the conjecture put forward in [Morgado 2002 Relation] on the relationship between memory kernel decay and anomalously diffusive behavior. Under slightly stronger assumptions on the memory kernel, we construct an Abelian-Tauberian framework that leads to robust bounds on the deviation of the MSD around its asymptotic trend. This bridges the gap between the GLE memory kernel and the spectral density of anomalously diffusive particle motion characterized in [Didier 2017 Asymptotic].

math.PR↗

arXiv2019

On fractional Lévy processes: tempering, sample path properties and stochastic integration

We define two new classes of stochastic processes, called tempered fractional Lévy process of the first and second kinds (TFLP and TFLP $I\!I$, respectively). TFLP and TFLP $I\!I$ make up very broad finite-variance, generally non-Gaussian families of transient anomalous diffusion models that are constructed by exponentially tempering the power law kernel in the moving average representation of a fractional Lévy process. Accordingly, the increment processes of TFLP and TFLP $I\!I$ display semi-long range dependence. We establish the sample path properties of TFLP and TFLP $I\!I$. We further use a flexible framework of tempered fractional derivatives and integrals to develop the theory of stochastic integration with respect to TFLP and TFLP $I\!I$, which may not be semimartingales depending on the value of the memory parameter and choice of marginal distribution.

math.PR↗

arXiv2018

Fluid heterogeneity detection based on the asymptotic distribution of the time-averaged mean squared displacement in single particle tracking experiments

A tracer particle is called anomalously diffusive if its mean squared displacement grows approximately as $σ^2 t^α$ as a function of time $t$ for some constant $σ^2$, where the diffusion exponent satisfies $α\neq 1$. In this article, we use recent results on the asymptotic distribution of the time-averaged mean squared displacement (Didier and Zhang (2017)) to construct statistical tests for detecting physical heterogeneity in viscoelastic fluid samples starting from one or multiple observed anomalously diffusive paths. The methods are asymptotically valid for the range $0 < α< 3/2$ and involve a mathematical characterization of time-averaged mean squared displacement bias and the effect of correlated disturbance errors. The assumptions on particle motion cover a broad family of fractional Gaussian processes, including fractional Brownian motion and many fractional instances of the generalized Langevin equation framework. We apply the proposed methods in experimental data from treated $P.\ aeruginosa$ biofilms generated by the collaboration of the Hill and Schoenfisch Labs at UNC-Chapel Hill.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2018

Tempered fractional Brownian motion: wavelet estimation, modeling and testing

The Davenport spectrum is a modification of the classical Kolmogorov spectrum for the inertial range of turbulence that accounts for non-scaling low frequency behavior. Like the classical fractional Brownian motion vis-à-vis the Kolmogorov spectrum, tempered fractional Brownian motion (tfBm) is a canonical model that displays the Davenport spectrum. The autocorrelation of the increments of tfBm displays semi-long range dependence (hyperbolic and quasi-exponential decays over moderate and large scales, respectively), a phenomenon that has been observed in wide a range of applications from wind speeds to geophysics to finance. In this paper, we use wavelets to construct the first estimation method for tfBm and a simple and computationally efficient test for fBm vs tfBm alternatives. The properties of the wavelet estimator and test are mathematically and computationally established. An application of the methodology to the analysis of geophysical flow data shows that tfBm provides a much closer fit than fBm.

math.ST↗

arXiv2017

Two-step wavelet-based estimation for mixed Gaussian fractional processes

A mixed Gaussian fractional process $\{Y(t)\}_{t \in {\Bbb R}} = \{PX(t)\}_{t \in {\Bbb R}}$ is a multivariate stochastic process obtained by pre-multiplying a vector of independent, Gaussian fractional process entries $X$ by a nonsingular matrix $P$. It is interpreted that $Y$ is observable, while $X$ is a hidden process occurring in an (unknown) system of coordinates $P$. Mixed processes naturally arise as approximations to solutions of physically relevant classes of multivariate fractional SDEs under aggregation. We propose a semiparametric two-step wavelet-based method for estimating both the demixing matrix $P^{-1}$ and the memory parameters of $X$. The asymptotic normality of the estimators is established both in continuous and discrete time. Monte Carlo experiments show that the finite sample estimation performance is comparable to that of parametric methods, while being very computationally efficient. As applications, we model a bivariate time series of annual tree ring width measurements, and establish the asymptotic normality of the eigenstructure of sample wavelet matrices.

math.ST↗

arXiv2017

Wavelet eigenvalue regression for $n$-variate operator fractional Brownian motion

In this contribution, we extend the methodology proposed in Abry and Didier (2017) to obtain the first joint estimator of the real parts of the Hurst eigenvalues of $n$-variate OFBM. The procedure consists of a wavelet regression on the log-eigenvalues of the sample wavelet spectrum. The estimator is shown to be consistent for any time reversible OFBM and, under stronger assumptions, also asymptotically normal starting from either continuous or discrete time measurements. Simulation studies establish the finite sample effectiveness of the methodology and illustrate its benefits compared to univariate-like (entrywise) analysis. As an application, we revisit the well-known self-similar character of Internet traffic by applying the proposed methodology to 4-variate time series of modern, high quality Internet traffic data. The analysis reveals the presence of a rich multivariate self-similarity structure.

math.ST↗

arXiv2017

Multivariate Hadamard self-similarity: testing fractal connectivity

While scale invariance is commonly observed in each component of real world multivariate signals, it is also often the case that the inter-component correlation structure is not fractally connected, i.e., its scaling behavior is not determined by that of the individual components. To model this situation in a versatile manner, we introduce a class of multivariate Gaussian stochastic processes called Hadamard fractional Brownian motion (HfBm). Its theoretical study sheds light on the issues raised by the joint requirement of entry-wise scaling and departures from fractal connectivity. An asymptotically normal wavelet-based estimator for its scaling parameter, called the Hurst matrix, is proposed, as well as asymptotically valid confidence intervals. The latter are accompanied by original finite sample procedures for computing confidence intervals and testing fractal connectivity from one single and finite size observation. Monte Carlo simulation studies are used to assess the estimation performance as a function of the (finite) sample size, and to quantify the impact of omitting wavelet cross-correlation terms. The simulation studies are shown to validate the use of approximate confidence intervals, together with the significance level and power of the fractal connectivity test. The test performance and properties are further studied as functions of the HfBm parameters.

math.ST↗

arXiv2016

Domain and range symmetries of operator fractional Brownian fields

An operator fractional Brownian field (OFBF) is a Gaussian, stationary increment R^n-valued random field on R^m that satisfies the operator self-similarity property {X(c^E t)}_{t in R^m} L= {c^H X(t)}_{t in R^m}, c > 0, for two matrix exponents (E,H). In this paper, we characterize the domain and range symmetries of OFBF, respectively, as maximal groups with respect to equivalence classes generated by orbits and, based on a new anisotropic polar-harmonizable representation of OFBF, as intersections of centralizers. We also describe the sets of possible pairs of domain and range symmetry groups in dimensions (m,1) and (2,2).

math.PR↗

arXiv2016

Non-Linear Wavelet Regression and Branch & Bound Optimization for the Full Identification of Bivariate Operator Fractional Brownian Motion

Self-similarity is widely considered the reference framework for modeling the scaling properties of real-world data. However, most theoretical studies and their practical use have remained univariate. Operator Fractional Brownian Motion (OfBm) was recently proposed as a multivariate model for self-similarity. Yet it has remained seldom used in applications because of serious issues that appear in the joint estimation of its numerous parameters. While the univariate fractional Brownian motion requires the estimation of two parameters only, its mere bivariate extension already involves 7 parameters which are very different in nature. The present contribution proposes a method for the full identification of bivariate OfBm (i.e., the joint estimation of all parameters) through an original formulation as a non-linear wavelet regression coupled with a custom-made Branch & Bound numerical scheme. The estimation performance (consistency and asymptotic normality) is mathematically established and numerically assessed by means of Monte Carlo experiments. The impact of the parameters defining OfBm on the estimation performance as well as the associated computational costs are also thoroughly investigated.

math.PR↗