doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.5705/ss.2009.280
Abstract: In this paper, we propose a fast, well-performing, and consistent method for segmenting a piecewise-stationary, linear time series with an unknown number of breakpoints. The time series model we use is the nonparametric Locally Stationary Wavelet model, in which a complete description of the piecewise-stationary second-order structure is provided by wavelet periodograms computed at multiple scales and locations. The initial stage of our method is a new binary segmentation procedure, with a theoretically justified and rapidly computable test criterion that detects breakpoints in wavelet periodograms separately at each scale. This is followed by within-scale and across-scales post-processing steps, leading to consistent estimation of the number and locations of breakpoints in the second-order structure of the original process. An extensive simulation study demonstrates good performance of our method.
Key words and phrases: Binary segmentation, breakpoint detection, locally stationary wavelet model, piecewise stationarity, post-processing, wavelet periodogram.