English

Optimal inference for the mean of random functions

Statistics Theory 2025-04-16 v1 Methodology Statistics Theory

Abstract

We study estimation and inference for the mean of real-valued random functions defined on a hypercube. The independent random functions are observed on a discrete, random subset of design points, possibly with heteroscedastic noise. We propose a novel optimal-rate estimator based on Fourier series expansions and establish a sharp non-asymptotic error bound in L2L^2-norm. Additionally, we derive a non-asymptotic Gaussian approximation bound for our estimated Fourier coefficients. Pointwise and uniform confidence sets are constructed. Our approach is made adaptive by a plug-in estimator for the H\"older regularity of the mean function, for which we derive non-asymptotic concentration bounds.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2504.11025,
  title  = {Optimal inference for the mean of random functions},
  author = {Omar Kassi and Valentin Patilea},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2504.11025},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

33 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-28T22:58:52.519Z