Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution

In 1985 Hosking et al. estimated with the so-called Probability-Weighted Moments (PWM) method the parameters of the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution, the latter being classically fitted to maxima of sequences of independent and identically distributed random variables. Their approach is...

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Main Authors: Jean Diebolt, Armelle Guillou, Philippe Naveau, Pierre Ribereau
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Nacional de Estatística | Statistics Portugal 2008-03-01
Series:Revstat Statistical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revstat.ine.pt/index.php/REVSTAT/article/view/56
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author Jean Diebolt
Armelle Guillou
Philippe Naveau
Pierre Ribereau
author_facet Jean Diebolt
Armelle Guillou
Philippe Naveau
Pierre Ribereau
author_sort Jean Diebolt
collection DOAJ
description In 1985 Hosking et al. estimated with the so-called Probability-Weighted Moments (PWM) method the parameters of the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution, the latter being classically fitted to maxima of sequences of independent and identically distributed random variables. Their approach is still very popular in hydrology and climatology because of its conceptual simplicity, its easy implementation and its good performance for most distributions encountered in geosciences. Its main drawback resides in its limitations when applied to strong heavy-tailed densities. Whenever the GEV shape parameter is larger than 0.5, the asymptotic properties of the PWMs cannot be derived and consequently, asymptotic confidence intervals cannot be obtained. To broaden the validity domain of the PWM approach, we take advantage of a recent extension of PWM to a larger class of moments, called Generalized PWM (GPWM). This allows us to derive the asymptotic properties of our estimators for larger values of the shape parameter. The performance of our approach is illustrated by studying simulations of small, medium and large GEV samples. Comparisons with other GEV estimation techniques used in hydrology and climatology are performed.
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spelling doaj.art-e9c84211b0724f758c0a3975e814b8882022-12-22T02:17:38ZengInstituto Nacional de Estatística | Statistics PortugalRevstat Statistical Journal1645-67262183-03712008-03-016110.57805/revstat.v6i1.56Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value DistributionJean Diebolt 0Armelle Guillou 1Philippe Naveau 2Pierre Ribereau 3Université de Marne-la-ValléeUniversité de StrasbourgLaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL-CNRSUniversité de Montpellier In 1985 Hosking et al. estimated with the so-called Probability-Weighted Moments (PWM) method the parameters of the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution, the latter being classically fitted to maxima of sequences of independent and identically distributed random variables. Their approach is still very popular in hydrology and climatology because of its conceptual simplicity, its easy implementation and its good performance for most distributions encountered in geosciences. Its main drawback resides in its limitations when applied to strong heavy-tailed densities. Whenever the GEV shape parameter is larger than 0.5, the asymptotic properties of the PWMs cannot be derived and consequently, asymptotic confidence intervals cannot be obtained. To broaden the validity domain of the PWM approach, we take advantage of a recent extension of PWM to a larger class of moments, called Generalized PWM (GPWM). This allows us to derive the asymptotic properties of our estimators for larger values of the shape parameter. The performance of our approach is illustrated by studying simulations of small, medium and large GEV samples. Comparisons with other GEV estimation techniques used in hydrology and climatology are performed. https://revstat.ine.pt/index.php/REVSTAT/article/view/56empirical processesmaximum likelihood estimators
spellingShingle Jean Diebolt
Armelle Guillou
Philippe Naveau
Pierre Ribereau
Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution
Revstat Statistical Journal
empirical processes
maximum likelihood estimators
title Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution
title_full Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution
title_fullStr Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution
title_full_unstemmed Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution
title_short Improving Probability-Weighted Moment Methods for the Generalized Extreme Value Distribution
title_sort improving probability weighted moment methods for the generalized extreme value distribution
topic empirical processes
maximum likelihood estimators
url https://revstat.ine.pt/index.php/REVSTAT/article/view/56
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AT armelleguillou improvingprobabilityweightedmomentmethodsforthegeneralizedextremevaluedistribution
AT philippenaveau improvingprobabilityweightedmomentmethodsforthegeneralizedextremevaluedistribution
AT pierreribereau improvingprobabilityweightedmomentmethodsforthegeneralizedextremevaluedistribution