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Main Authors: Andros, R. Jacob, Guhaniyogi, Rajarshi, Francom, Devin, Pasqualini, Donatella
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.09351
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author Andros, R. Jacob
Guhaniyogi, Rajarshi
Francom, Devin
Pasqualini, Donatella
author_facet Andros, R. Jacob
Guhaniyogi, Rajarshi
Francom, Devin
Pasqualini, Donatella
contents The analysis of complex computer simulations, often involving functional data, presents unique statistical challenges. Conventional regression methods, such as function-on-function regression, typically associate functional outcomes with both scalar and functional predictors on a per-realization basis. However, simulation studies often demand a more nuanced approach to disentangle nonlinear relationships of functional outcome with predictors observed at multiple scales: domain-specific functional predictors that are fixed across simulation runs, and realization-specific global predictors that vary between runs. In this article, we develop a novel supervised learning framework tailored to this setting. We propose an additive nonlinear regression model that flexibly captures the influence of both predictor types. The effects of functional predictors are modeled through spatially-varying coefficients governed by a Gaussian process prior. Crucially, to capture the impact of global predictors on the functional outcome, we introduce a functional Gaussian process (fGP) prior. This new prior jointly models the entire collection of unknown, spatially-indexed nonlinear functions that encode the effects of the global predictors over the entire domain, explicitly accounting for their spatial dependence. This integrated architecture enables simultaneous learning from both predictor types, provides a principled strategies to quantify their respective contributions in predicting the functional outcome, and delivers rigorous uncertainty estimates for both model parameters and predictions. The utility and robustness of our approach are demonstrated through multiple synthetic datasets and a real-world application involving outputs from the Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_09351
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Supervised Learning of Functional Outcomes with Predictors at Different Scales: A Functional Gaussian Process Approach
Andros, R. Jacob
Guhaniyogi, Rajarshi
Francom, Devin
Pasqualini, Donatella
Methodology
The analysis of complex computer simulations, often involving functional data, presents unique statistical challenges. Conventional regression methods, such as function-on-function regression, typically associate functional outcomes with both scalar and functional predictors on a per-realization basis. However, simulation studies often demand a more nuanced approach to disentangle nonlinear relationships of functional outcome with predictors observed at multiple scales: domain-specific functional predictors that are fixed across simulation runs, and realization-specific global predictors that vary between runs. In this article, we develop a novel supervised learning framework tailored to this setting. We propose an additive nonlinear regression model that flexibly captures the influence of both predictor types. The effects of functional predictors are modeled through spatially-varying coefficients governed by a Gaussian process prior. Crucially, to capture the impact of global predictors on the functional outcome, we introduce a functional Gaussian process (fGP) prior. This new prior jointly models the entire collection of unknown, spatially-indexed nonlinear functions that encode the effects of the global predictors over the entire domain, explicitly accounting for their spatial dependence. This integrated architecture enables simultaneous learning from both predictor types, provides a principled strategies to quantify their respective contributions in predicting the functional outcome, and delivers rigorous uncertainty estimates for both model parameters and predictions. The utility and robustness of our approach are demonstrated through multiple synthetic datasets and a real-world application involving outputs from the Sea, Lake, and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH) model.
title Supervised Learning of Functional Outcomes with Predictors at Different Scales: A Functional Gaussian Process Approach
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.09351