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Maximum likelihood estimation for totally positive log‐concave densities

Author

Listed:
  • Elina Robeva
  • Bernd Sturmfels
  • Ngoc Tran
  • Caroline Uhler

Abstract

We study nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation for two classes of multivariate distributions that imply strong forms of positive dependence; namely log‐supermodular (MTP2) distributions and log‐L♮‐concave (LLC) distributions. In both cases we also assume log‐concavity in order to ensure boundedness of the likelihood function. Given n independent and identically distributed random vectors from one of our distributions, the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) exists a.s. and is unique a.e. with probability one when n≥3. This holds independently of the ambient dimension d. We conjecture that the MLE is always the exponential of a tent function. We prove this result for samples in {0,1}d or in ℝ2 under MTP2, and for samples in ℚd under LLC. Finally, we provide a conditional gradient algorithm for computing the maximum likelihood estimate.

Suggested Citation

  • Elina Robeva & Bernd Sturmfels & Ngoc Tran & Caroline Uhler, 2021. "Maximum likelihood estimation for totally positive log‐concave densities," Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, Danish Society for Theoretical Statistics;Finnish Statistical Society;Norwegian Statistical Association;Swedish Statistical Association, vol. 48(3), pages 817-844, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scjsta:v:48:y:2021:i:3:p:817-844
    DOI: 10.1111/sjos.12462
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    References listed on IDEAS

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