TY - JOUR

T1 - A new representation for multivariate tail probabilities

AU - Wadsworth, Jennifer

AU - Tawn, Jon

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Existing theory for multivariate extreme values focuses upon characterizations of the distributional tails when all components of a random vector, standardized to identical margins, grow at the same rate. In this paper, we consider the effect of allowing the components to grow at different rates, and characterize the link between these marginal growth rates and the multivariate tail probability decay rate. Our approach leads to a whole class of univariate regular variation conditions, in place of the single but multivariate regular variation conditions that underpin the current theories. These conditions are indexed by a homogeneous function and an angular dependence function, which, for asymptotically independent random vectors, mirror the role played by the exponent measure and Pickands’ dependence function in classical multivariate extremes. We additionally offer an inferential approach to joint survivor probability estimation. The key feature of our methodology is that extreme set probabilities can be estimated by extrapolating upon rays emanating from the origin when the margins of the variables are exponential. This offers an appreciable improvement over existing techniques where extrapolation in exponential margins is upon lines parallel to the diagonal.

AB - Existing theory for multivariate extreme values focuses upon characterizations of the distributional tails when all components of a random vector, standardized to identical margins, grow at the same rate. In this paper, we consider the effect of allowing the components to grow at different rates, and characterize the link between these marginal growth rates and the multivariate tail probability decay rate. Our approach leads to a whole class of univariate regular variation conditions, in place of the single but multivariate regular variation conditions that underpin the current theories. These conditions are indexed by a homogeneous function and an angular dependence function, which, for asymptotically independent random vectors, mirror the role played by the exponent measure and Pickands’ dependence function in classical multivariate extremes. We additionally offer an inferential approach to joint survivor probability estimation. The key feature of our methodology is that extreme set probabilities can be estimated by extrapolating upon rays emanating from the origin when the margins of the variables are exponential. This offers an appreciable improvement over existing techniques where extrapolation in exponential margins is upon lines parallel to the diagonal.

KW - asymptotic independence

KW - coefficient of tail dependence

KW - multivariate extreme value theory

KW - Pickands’ dependence function

KW - regular variation

U2 - 10.3150/12-BEJ471

DO - 10.3150/12-BEJ471

M3 - Journal article

VL - 19

SP - 2689

EP - 2714

JO - Bernoulli

JF - Bernoulli

SN - 1350-7265

IS - 5B

ER -