Poisson Approximate Likelihood versus the block particle filter for a spatiotemporal measles model

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: He, Kunyang, Hao, Yize, Ionides, Edward L.
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author He, Kunyang
Hao, Yize
Ionides, Edward L.
author_facet He, Kunyang
Hao, Yize
Ionides, Edward L.
contents Filtering algorithms for high-dimensional nonlinear non-Gaussian partially observed stochastic processes provide access to the likelihood function and hence enable likelihood-based or Bayesian inference for this methodologically challenging class of models. A novel Poisson approximate likelihood (PAL) filter was introduced by Whitehouse et al.\ (2023). PAL employs a Poisson approximation to conditional densities, offering a fast approximation to the likelihood function for a certain subset of partially observed Markov process models. PAL was demonstrated on an epidemiological metapopulation model for measles, specifically, a spatiotemporal model for disease transmission within and between cities. At face value, Table\ 3 of Whitehouse et al.\ (2023) suggests that PAL considerably out-performs previous analysis as well as an ARMA benchmark model. We show that PAL does not outperform a block particle filter and that the lookahead component of PAL was implemented in a way that introduces substantial positive bias in the log-likelihood estimates. Therefore, the results of Table\ 3 of Whitehouse et al.\ (2023) do not accurately represent the true capabilities of PAL.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_09121
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Poisson Approximate Likelihood versus the block particle filter for a spatiotemporal measles model
He, Kunyang
Hao, Yize
Ionides, Edward L.
Methodology
Filtering algorithms for high-dimensional nonlinear non-Gaussian partially observed stochastic processes provide access to the likelihood function and hence enable likelihood-based or Bayesian inference for this methodologically challenging class of models. A novel Poisson approximate likelihood (PAL) filter was introduced by Whitehouse et al.\ (2023). PAL employs a Poisson approximation to conditional densities, offering a fast approximation to the likelihood function for a certain subset of partially observed Markov process models. PAL was demonstrated on an epidemiological metapopulation model for measles, specifically, a spatiotemporal model for disease transmission within and between cities. At face value, Table\ 3 of Whitehouse et al.\ (2023) suggests that PAL considerably out-performs previous analysis as well as an ARMA benchmark model. We show that PAL does not outperform a block particle filter and that the lookahead component of PAL was implemented in a way that introduces substantial positive bias in the log-likelihood estimates. Therefore, the results of Table\ 3 of Whitehouse et al.\ (2023) do not accurately represent the true capabilities of PAL.
title Poisson Approximate Likelihood versus the block particle filter for a spatiotemporal measles model
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.09121