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On Distribution and Quantile Functions, Ranks and Signs in R_d

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  • Marc Hallin

Abstract

Unlike the real line, the d-dimensional space Rd, for d ≥ 2, is not canonically ordered. As a consequence, such fundamental and strongly order-related univariate concepts as quantile and distribution functions, and their empirical counterparts, involving ranks and signs, do not canonically extend to the multivariate context. Palliating that lack of a canonical ordering has remained an open problem for more than half a century, and has generated an abundant literature, motivating, among others, the development of statistical depth and copula-based methods. We show here that, unlike the many definitions that have been proposed in the literature, the measure transportation-based ones introduced in Chernozhukov et al. (2017) enjoy all the properties (distribution-freeness and preservation of semiparametric efficiency) that make univariate quantiles and ranks successful tools for semiparametric statistical inference. We therefore propose a new center-outward definition of multivariate distribution and quantile functions, along with their empirical counterparts, for which we establish a Glivenko-Cantelli result. Our approach, based on results by McCann (1995), is geometric rather than analytical and, contrary to the Monge-Kantorovich one in Chernozhukov et al. (2017) (which assumes compact supports or finite second-order moments), does not require any moment assumptions. The resulting ranks and signs are shown to be strictly distribution-free, and maximal invariant under the action of transformations (namely, the gradients of convex functions, which thus are playing the role of order-preserving transformations) generating the family of absolutely continuous distributions; this, in view of a general result by Hallin and Werker (2003), implies preservation of semiparametric efficiency. The resulting quantiles are equivariant under the same transformations, which confirms the order-preserving nature of gradients of convex function.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Hallin, 2017. "On Distribution and Quantile Functions, Ranks and Signs in R_d," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2017-34, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
  • Handle: RePEc:eca:wpaper:2013/258262
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Eustasio Del Barrio & Alberto Gonzalez-Sanz & Marc Hallin, 2019. "A Note on the Regularity of Center-Outward Distribution and Quantile Functions," Working Papers ECARES 2019-33, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    2. Hallin, Marc & La Vecchia, Davide, 2020. "A Simple R-estimation method for semiparametric duration models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 218(2), pages 736-749.
    3. Marc Hallin & Hongjian Shi & Mathias Drton & Fang Han, 2021. "Center-Outward Sign- and Rank-Based Quadrant, Spearman, and Kendall Tests for Multivariate Independence," Working Papers ECARES 2021-27, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. de Valk, Cees Fouad & Segers, Johan, 2018. "Stability and tail limits of transport-based quantile contours," LIDAM Discussion Papers ISBA 2018031, Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Statistics, Biostatistics and Actuarial Sciences (ISBA).
    5. M. Hallin & D. La Vecchia & H. Liu, 2022. "Center-Outward R-Estimation for Semiparametric VARMA Models," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 117(538), pages 925-938, April.
    6. Marc Hallin, 2018. "From Mahalanobis to Bregman via Monge and Kantorovich towards a “General Generalised Distance”," Working Papers ECARES 2018-12, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    7. Faugeras, Olivier & Rüschendorf, Ludger, 2019. "Functional, randomized and smoothed multivariate quantile regions," TSE Working Papers 19-1039, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE), revised Jun 2021.
    8. Hongjian Shi & Mathias Drton & Marc Hallin & Fang Han, 2023. "Semiparametrically Efficient Tests of Multivariate Independence Using Center-Outward Quadrant, Spearman, and Kendall Statistics," Working Papers ECARES 2023-03, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    9. Hongjian Shi & Marc Hallin & Mathias Drton & Fang Han, 2020. "Rate-Optimality of Consistent Distribution-Free Tests of Independence Based on Center-Outward Ranks and Signs," Working Papers ECARES 2020-23, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    10. Eustasio Del Barrio & Juan Cuesta Albertos & Marc Hallin & Carlos Matran, 2018. "Smooth Cyclically Monotone Interpolation and Empirical Center-Outward Distribution Functions," Working Papers ECARES 2018-15, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    11. del Barrio, Eustasio & González-Sanz, Alberto & Hallin, Marc, 2020. "A note on the regularity of optimal-transport-based center-outward distribution and quantile functions," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).

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