JSM Preliminary Online Program
This is the preliminary program for the 2007 Joint Statistical Meetings in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The views expressed here are those of the individual authors
and not necessarily those of the ASA or its board, officers, or staff.



Back to main JSM 2007 Program page




Activity Number: 136
Type: Topic Contributed
Date/Time: Monday, July 30, 2007 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
Sponsor: IMS
Abstract - #308810
Title: Inference of a Heavy-Tailed Distribution
Author(s): Yongcheng Qi*+
Companies: The University of Minnesota Duluth
Address: Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Duluth, MN, 55812,
Keywords: Confidence interval ; Coverage probability ; Empirical likelihood ; Tail index estimation ; Edgeworth expansion
Abstract:

This paper proposes some new estimators for the tail index of a heavy tailed distribution when only a few largest values are observed within blocks. These estimators are proved to be asymptotically normal under suitable conditions, and their Edgeworth expansions are obtained. Empirical likelihood method is also employed to construct confidence intervals for the tail index. The comparison for the confidence intervals based on the normal approximation and the empirical likelihood method is made in terms of coverage probability and length of the confidence intervals. The simulation study shows that the empirical likelihood method outperforms the normal approximation method.


  • The address information is for the authors that have a + after their name.
  • Authors who are presenting talks have a * after their name.

Back to the full JSM 2007 program

JSM 2007 For information, contact jsm@amstat.org or phone (888) 231-3473. If you have questions about the Continuing Education program, please contact the Education Department.
Revised September, 2007