Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy II

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xviii

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2. General Methods in Astrostatistics

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Pre and Post Least Squares: The Emergence of Robust Estimation

      • C. Radhakrishna Rao

      Pages 3-13

   3. Some Recent Developments in Bayesian Analysis, with Astronomical Illustrations

      • James O. Berger

      Pages 15-48

   4. Bayesian Analysis of Lunar Laser Ranging Data

      • William H. Jefferys, Judit Györgyey Ries

      Pages 49-65

   5. Modern Statistical Methods for Cosmological Testing

      • I. E. Segal

      Pages 67-81

   6. Comparing Censoring and Random Truncation via Nonparametric Estimation of a Distribution Function

      • Grace L. Yang

      Pages 83-104

   7. Astronomical (Heteroscedastic) Measurement Errors: Statistical Issues and Problems

      • Michael G. Akritas

      Pages 105-122

   8. New Problems and Approaches Related to Large Databases in Astronomy

      • Fionn Murtagh, Alex Aussem

      Pages 123-133

   9. Object Classification in Astronomical Images

      • Richard L. White

      Pages 135-151

   10. Recent Advances in Large-scale Structure Statistics

       • Vicent J. Martínez

       Pages 153-171

   11. Wavelet Transform and Multiscale Vision Models

       • Albert Bijaoui, Frédéric Rué, Renaud Savalle

       Pages 173-184

   12. Statistical Software, Siftware and Astronomy

       • Edward J. Wegman, Daniel B. Carr, R. Duane King, John J. Miller, Wendy L. Poston, Jeffrey L. Solka et al.

       Pages 185-206

3. Major Astronomical Projects

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 207-207

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   2. Statistical Issues in the MACHO Project

      • T. S. Axelrod, C. Alcock, R. A. Allsman, D. Alves, A. C. Becker, D. P. Bennett et al.

      Pages 209-224

   3. LIGO: Identifying Gravitational Waves

      • Bernard F. Schutz, David Nicholson

      Pages 225-239

   4. AXAF Data Analysis Challenges

      • Aneta Siemiginowska, Martin Elvis, Alanna Connors, Peter Freeman, Vinay Kashyap, Eric Feigelson

      Pages 241-257

   5. Statistical Aspects of the Hipparcos Photometric Data

      • F. van Leeuwen, D. W. Evans, M. B. van Leeuwen-Toczko

      Pages 259-280

4. Time Series Analysis

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 281-281

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   2. Application of Wavelet Analysis to the Study of Time-dependent Spectra

      • M. B. Priestley

      Pages 283-301

Modern astronomical research faces a vast range of statistical issues which have spawned a revival in methodological activity among astronomers. The Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy II conference, held in June 1996 at the Pennsylvania State University five years after the first conference, brought astronomers and statisticians together to discuss methodological issues of common interest. Time series analysis, image analysis, Bayesian methods, Poisson processes, nonlinear regression, maximum likelihood, multivariate classification, and wavelet and multiscale analyses were important themes. Astronomers frequently encounter troublesome situations such as heteroscedastic weighting of data, unevenly spaced time series, and selection effects leading to censoring and truncation. Many problems were introduced at the conference in the context of large-scale astronomical projects inlcuding LIGO, AXAF, XTE, Hipparcos, and digitized sky surveys.This volume will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in both fields-astronomers who seek exposure to recent developments in statistics, and statisticians interested in confronting new problems. It is edited by two faculty members of the Pennsylvania State University who have a long-standing cross-disciplinary collaboration and jointly authored the recent introductory monograph "Astrostatics." G.J. Babu is Professor of Statistics, Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Statistical Planning & Inference and the Journal of Nonparametric Statistics. Eric D. Feigelson is Professor of Astronomoy and Astrophysics.

• Censoring
• Maximum entropy method
• Measure
• Orbit
• Parametric statistics
• Redshift
• Time series
• astronomy
• astrophysics
• data analysis
• entropy
• image processing
• linear regression
• mathematical statistics
• statistical software

• Department of Statistics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA

  G. Jogesh Babu

• Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, USA

  Eric D. Feigelson

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