Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Khaniha, Sayeh, Baccelli, François
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.18555
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866915617150337024
author Khaniha, Sayeh
Baccelli, François
author_facet Khaniha, Sayeh
Baccelli, François
contents This paper introduces a hierarchical clustering algorithm, the Clustroid Hierarchical Nearest Neighbor ($\mathrm{CHN}^2$), designed for datasets with a countably infinite number of points. The method builds clusters across successive levels by linking nearest-neighbor points or clusters using the clustroid distance. The properties of this algorithm make it suitable for very large datasets. To evaluate its properties, we first apply the algorithm to the homogeneous Poisson point process, which serves as a natural null-hypothesis model with no intrinsic aggregation. In this setting, the algorithm generates a random forest that is a factor of the Poisson point process and hence unimodular. We prove that at every level, the level-$k$ graph has only finite connected components (a.s.) and derive bounds on their mean size. We also establish the existence of a limiting graph as the number of levels tends to infinity. In this limit, clusters are infinite and one-ended, which induces a natural order within each component and supports a tree-like phylogenetic interpretation. Beyond the Poisson case, we extend the analysis to a class of Cox and more general stationary point processes without second-order descending chains (introduced here), for which analogous results hold. Simulations show that comparing these cases with the Poisson baseline allows an efficient detection of aggregation, thereby linking the stochastic-geometric analysis to practical clustering tasks.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_18555
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Hierarchical Clustering Algorithms on Poisson and Cox Point Processes
Khaniha, Sayeh
Baccelli, François
Probability
This paper introduces a hierarchical clustering algorithm, the Clustroid Hierarchical Nearest Neighbor ($\mathrm{CHN}^2$), designed for datasets with a countably infinite number of points. The method builds clusters across successive levels by linking nearest-neighbor points or clusters using the clustroid distance. The properties of this algorithm make it suitable for very large datasets. To evaluate its properties, we first apply the algorithm to the homogeneous Poisson point process, which serves as a natural null-hypothesis model with no intrinsic aggregation. In this setting, the algorithm generates a random forest that is a factor of the Poisson point process and hence unimodular. We prove that at every level, the level-$k$ graph has only finite connected components (a.s.) and derive bounds on their mean size. We also establish the existence of a limiting graph as the number of levels tends to infinity. In this limit, clusters are infinite and one-ended, which induces a natural order within each component and supports a tree-like phylogenetic interpretation. Beyond the Poisson case, we extend the analysis to a class of Cox and more general stationary point processes without second-order descending chains (introduced here), for which analogous results hold. Simulations show that comparing these cases with the Poisson baseline allows an efficient detection of aggregation, thereby linking the stochastic-geometric analysis to practical clustering tasks.
title Hierarchical Clustering Algorithms on Poisson and Cox Point Processes
topic Probability
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.18555