Spatial process gradients and their use in sensitivity analysis for environmental processes

DOI10.1016/J.JSPI.2015.07.003zbMATH Open1333.62146arXiv1503.08357OpenAlexW289447535WikidataQ57434964 ScholiaQ57434964MaRDI QIDQ900760FDOQ900760

Authors: Maria A. Terres, Alan E. Gelfand 

Publication date: 22 December 2015

Published in: Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: This paper develops methodology for local sensitivity analysis based on directional derivatives associated with spatial processes. Formal gradient analysis for spatial processes was elaborated in previous papers, focusing on distribution theory for directional derivatives associated with a response variable assumed to follow a Gaussian process model. In the current work, these ideas are extended to additionally accommodate a continuous covariate whose directional derivatives are also of interest and to relate the behavior of the directional derivatives of the response surface to those of the covariate surface. It is of interest to assess whether, in some sense, the gradients of the response follow those of the explanatory variable. The joint Gaussian structure of all variables, including the directional derivatives, allows for explicit distribution theory and, hence, kriging across the spatial region using multivariate normal theory. Working within a Bayesian hierarchical modeling framework, posterior samples enable all gradient analysis to occur post model fitting. As a proof of concept, we show how our methodology can be applied to a standard geostatistical modeling setting using a simulation example. For a real data illustration, we work with point pattern data, deferring our gradient analysis to the intensity surface, adopting a log-Gaussian Cox process model. In particular, we relate elevation data to point patterns associated with several tree species in Duke Forest.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1503.08357

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zbMATH Keywords

Gaussian processdirectional derivativeCauchy processlog-Gaussian Cox processMatérn correlation function

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Directional data; spatial statistics (62H11) Inference from spatial processes (62M30) Gaussian processes (60G15) Random fields (60G60) Applications of statistics to environmental and related topics (62P12)

Cites Work

• Interpolation of spatial data. Some theory for kriging
• On smoothness properties of spatial processes
• Statistics for spatio-temporal data
• Log Gaussian Cox Processes
• A Composite Likelihood Approach to Binary Spatial Data
• Bayesian Wombling
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Topics in circular statistics. With 1 IBM-PC floppy disk (3. 5 inch, HD)
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Modeling space and space-time directional data using projected Gaussian processes
• Spatial Modeling With Spatially Varying Coefficient Processes
• Directional Rates of Change Under Spatial Process Models
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• Continuity properties for random fields

Cited In (5)

• Analysing Multivariate Spatial Point Processes with Continuous Marks: A Graphical Modelling Approach
• Bayesian Modeling with Spatial Curvature Processes
• Comments on: process modeling for slope and aspect with application to elevation data maps
• Bayesian modeling and analysis for gradients in spatiotemporal processes
• Directional Rates of Change Under Spatial Process Models

Uses Software

• spBayes
• CircStats
• circular

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