Transcript c 2

What is the correct number
of break points
hidden in a climate record?
Ralf Lindau
Victor Venema
Bonn University
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Defining breaks
Consider the differences of one station
compared to a reference. (Kriged
ensemble of surrounding stations)
Breaks are defined by abrupt changes in
the station-reference time series.
Internal variance
within the subperiods
External variance
between the means of different
subperiods
Criterion:
Maximum external variance attained by
a minimum number of breaks
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Decomposition of Variance
n total number of years
N subperiods
ni years within a subperiod
The sum of external and
internal variance is constant.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Two questions
Titel of this talk asks: How many breaks?
Where are they situated?
Testing of all permutions is not feasible.
 n  1  99  99  98  97  96  95  94  93  92  91  90

    
 1013
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
 k   10 
The best solution for a fixed number of breaks
can be found by Dynamical Programming
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Dynamical Programming (1)
Find the optimum positions for a
fixed number of breaks.
Consider not only the complete
time series, but all possible
truncated variants.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Dynamical Programming (2)
Find the optimum positions for a
fixed number of breaks.
Consider not only the complete
time series, but all possible
truncated variants.
Find the first break by simply
testing all permutions.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Dynamical Programming (3)
Find the optimum positions for a
fixed number of breaks.
Consider not only the complete
time series, but all possible
truncated variants.
Find the first break by simply
testing all permutions.
Fill up all truncated variants. The
internal variance consists now
of two parts: that of the
truncated variant plus that of
the rest.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Dynamical Programming (4)
Find the optimum positions for a
fixed number of breaks.
Consider not only the complete
time series, but all possible
truncated variants.
Find the first break by simply
testing all permutions.
Fill up all truncated variants. The
internal variance consists of
two parts: that of the truncated
variant plus that of the rest.
Search the minimum out of n.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Dynamical Programming (5)
The 2-breaks optimum for the full
length is found.
To begin the search for 3 breaks,
we need as before the
previous solutions for all, also
shorter length.
This needs n2/2 searches, which is
for larger numbers of breaks k
much less than all
permutations (n over k).
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Dynamical Programming (5)
The 2-breaks optimum for the full
length is found.
To begin the search for 3 breaks,
we need as before the
previous solutions for all, also
shorter length.
This needs n2/2 searches, which is
for larger numbers of breaks k
much less than all
permutations (n over k).
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Position & Number
Solved:
The optimum positions for a fixed number of breaks are known
by Dynamical Programming.
Left:
Find the optimum number of breaks.
The external variance increase in any case with increasing
number of breaks.
Use as benchmark the behaviour of a random time series.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Segment averages
with stddev = 1
Segment averages xi scatter randomly
mean :
0
stddev:
1/ ni
Because any deviation from zero can be
seen as inaccuracy due to the limited
number of members.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
External Variance
Weighted measure for the
variability of the subperiods‘
means
The external variance
is equal to the mean square sum
of a random normal distributed variable.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
c2-distribution
n:
k:
N = k+1:
[ ]:
Length of time series (Number of years)
Number of breaks
Number of subsegments
Mean of several break position permutations
[varext] = (N-1)/n = k/n
In average, the external variance increases linearly with k.
However, we consider the best member as found by DP.
varext ~ cN2
The external variance is chi2-distributed.
Def.:
Take N values out of N (0,1), square and add them up.
By repeating a cN2-distribution is obtained.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
21-years random data (1)
1000 random time series are
created.
Only 21-years long, so that
explicite tests of all
permutations are possible.
The mean increases linearly.
However, the maximum is relevant
(the best solution as found by DP)
Can we describe this function?
First guess:
1 v 
1  k 
* 4
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
21-years random data (2)
Above, we expected the data
for a fixed number of breaks
being chi2-distributed.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
From c2 to b distribution
The random data does not fit
exactly to a chi2-distribution.
n = 21 years
k = 7 breaks
The reason is that chi2 has no
upper bounds.
data
But varext cannot exceed 1.
A kind of confined chi2 is the beta
distribution.
c2
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
From c2 to b distribution
X ~ c2(a) and Y ~ c2(b) 
X / (X+Y) ~ b(a/2, b/2)
n = 21 years
k = 7 breaks
data
If we normalize a chi2-distributed
variable by the sum of itself and
another chi2-distributed variable,
the result will be b-distributed.
b
c2
The b-distribution fits well to the data
and is the theoretical distribution
for the external variance of all
break position permutations.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
From c2 to b distribution
17
b
7
p (v ) 
v
k
1
2
1  v 
 k n 1 k 
B ,

2
2


15
11
with
c2
n 1 k
1
2
B ( a, b) 
(a) (b)
 ( a  b)
We are interested in the best solution,
with the highest external variance,
as provided by DP.
We need the exceeding probability for
high varext
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Incomplete Beta Function
External variance v is b-distributed
and depends on n (years) and k (breaks):
p (v ) 
v
k
1
2
1  v 
n 1 k
1
2
 k n 1 k 
B ,

2
2

v
The exceeding probability P gives the
best (maximum) solution for v
P (v)  1   pdv
0


Incomplete Beta Function
Solvable for even k and odd n:
i
k
2
m
n3
2
 m l
m l
P(v)     v 1  v 
l 0  l 
i 1
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Example 21 years, 4 breaks
 m l
m l
P(v)     v 1  v 
l 0  l 
i 1
i
k
2
m
n3
2
k=4 i=2
n = 21  m = 9
P(v)  1  v   9v 1  v 
9
8
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Theory and Data
Theory (Curve):
P(v)  1  v   9v 1  v 
9
8
Random data (hached) fits well.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Nominal Combination Number
For n = 21 and k = 4 there are
 n  1  20 

     4845
k

 4
break combinations.
If they all were independent we
could read the maximum external
variance at (4845)-1 ≈ 0.0002
being 0.7350
However, we suspect that the
break combinations are not
independent. And we know the
correct value of varext.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Effective and Nominal
Remember:
varext= 0.5876 for k=4
The reverse reading leads to an
23 times higher exceeding probability.
This shows that the break permutations
are strongly dependent and the effective
number of combinations is smaller than
the nominal.
However, the theorectical function is
correct.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
From 21 years to 101 years
2 breaks
20
As we now know the theoretical
function, we quit the explicit
check by random data.
And skip from unrealistic short time
series (n=21) to more realistic
(n=101).
Again the numerical values of the
external variance is known and
we can conclude the effective
combination numbers.
dv
Can we give a formula for
dk
in order to derive v(k) ?
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
dv/dk sketch
Increasing the break number from k
to k+1 has two consequences:
1.
2.
The probability function
changes.
The number combinations
increase.
Both increase the external variance.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Using the Slope
P(v) is a complicated function and hard to
invert into v(P).
 m
m l
P(v)     v l 1  v 
l 0  l 
i 1
Thus, dv is concluded from dP / slope.
We just derived P(v) by integrating p(v),
so that the slope p(v) is known.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
The Slope
d
ln( P(v))    p(v)
dv
P (v )
Insert the known functions:
d
ln( P(v))   
dv
v i 1 1  v 
Reduce and replace m and i:
d
ln( P(v))   
dv
m  i  1
m 

 i  1
 m
  l  v 1  v 
i 1
l
l 0
The last summand dominates:
m i
m l
 
v i 1 1  v 
m i
m  i  1
m 

 i  1
 m  i 1
m i 1

 v 1  v 
 i  1
d
ln( P(v))    m  i  1
dv
1 v
d
ln( P(v))    n  1  k
dv
2 1  v 
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Distance between the Curves
ln Pi 1   ln Pi 
 i  m l
    v 1  v m l
 l 0  l 
 ln  i 1
m
    v l 1  v m l
 l
 l 0  







The last summand dominates:
Reduce and replace m and i:
ln Pk 1   ln Pk  
1  n  1  k  v
ln 
2  k 1  v 
ln Pi 1   ln Pi 
  m i

   v 1  v mi 
i


 ln   

m  i 1
m i 1
 




v
1

v
  i  1





 m  i  1 v
ln Pi 1   ln Pi   ln 
 i 1  v 






7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Effective combination growth
 n  1


 k 
(n-1-k) / k
 n  1


 k  1
Nominal Growth Rate
-2 ln ( (n-1- k) / k)
Ln:
minus:
2:
Logarithmic sketch
Number of combinations is reciprocal to Exceeding Probability
Exceeding Probability only known for even break numbers
However, break combinations are not independent
and we know the effective number of combinations
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Ratio: nominal / effective
k1
k2
k
nominal
effectiv
c=nom/eff
2
4
3
-2.552
-7.784
0.328
4
6
5
-2.186
-6.952
0.315
6
8
7
-1.963
-6.356
0.309
8
10
9
-1.765
-5.889
0.300
10
12
11
-1.645
-5.503
0.299
12
14
13
-1.514
-5.173
0.293
14
16
15
-1.435
-4.885
0.294
16
18
17
-1.363
-4.627
0.295
18
20
19
-1.292
-4.394
0.295
The ratio of nominal / effective is
approximatly constant with c = 0.3
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Approximative Solution
dv
dk

2 1  v 
n 1 k

 n 1 k
 c ln 


k


 1  n  1  k  v
  ln 
 2  k 1  v 

 

*
Normalisation k 
1  k * dv
1  v dk *
1 k* 
 (1  k * )v 
  : 
 2c ln  *   ln  *
k 
1  v) 

k(



n
4
 2  0.3  ln( 100)  ln( 4)
 2.76  1.39 
k
n 1
for small k*
for n = 100
4.15
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Exact Solution
1  k * dv
1  v dk
1
dv 
1 v
1 v 

1 k * 1 k *
ln  *
2
 k
 1 1 k *
 ln  *
2  k


1  k 

  2 ln 5

 2 ln 5  *
 dk
 
* 
 1 k 
1
* 2 ln(5 )  2
1 k
 *
 k
*



1
 k*
2
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Constance of Solution
101 years
The solution for the exponent 
is constant for different length of
time series (21 and 101 years).
21 years
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Conclusion
We have found a general mathematical formulation how the external
variance of a random time series is increasing when more and
more breaks as given by Dynamical Programming are inserted.
This can be used as benchmark to define the optimum number of
breaks.
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Appendix (1)
f
 m
  v
 li 

 m 

 1  v 
 li  1
i 1 m
 
m l
Consider the individual summands of the sum as defined in P( x)     v l 1  v 
l 0  l 
The factor of change f between a certain summand and its successor is:
where li runs from zero to i. The ratio of consecutive binomial coefficients
can be replaced and it follows:
f

m  li  1 v
li 1  v 
m and i can be replaced by n and k:
f

n  1  lk  v
l k 1  v 
inserting k instead of lk is a lower limit for f because (n-1-lk)/lk, the rate of
change of the binomial coefficients, is decreasing monotonously with k:
f

n  1  k  v
k 1  v 
normalised by 1/(n-1):
f

1  k  v
*
k * 1  v 
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011
Appendix (2)
the approximate solution is known with 1-v = (1- k*)4
f
f
k 0
k 1
We can conclude that each element of the sum given
above is by a factor f larger than the prior element.
For small k* the factor f is greater than about 4 and
grows to infinity for large k*. Consequently, we can
approximate the sum by its last summand according to:

f
* 4
*
* 4
*
 
1  k 
1 1 k*


f
1  k  1  1  k  
k 1  k 
4
* 3
k*




1  1  4k *
k * 1  3k *

P( x) 

4k *
k * 1  3k *

1  k   1  k 
* 3
k
* 4
*
 m
  l  v 1  v 
i 1
l
l i
 
m l



4
1  3k *


 4
0
 
1
 m  i 1
 v 1  v mi 1
 
 i  1
7. Homogenization Seminar Budapest – 24.- 28. October 2011