Outlier Detection Technique for Heterogeneous Data Using Trimmed-mean Robust Estimators

Abstract

Context. Fortunately, the most commonly used in parametric statistics assumptions such as such as normality, linearity, inde-pendence, are not always fulfilled in real practice. The main reason for this is the appearance of observations in data samples that differ from the bulk of the data, as a result of which the sample becomes heterogeneous. The application in such conditions of gener-ally accepted estimation procedures, for example, the sample mean, entails the bias increasing and the effectiveness decreasing of the estimates obtained. This, in turn, raises the problem of finding possible solutions to the problem of processing data sets that include outliers, especially in small samples. The object of the study is the process of detecting and excluding anomalous objects from the heterogeneous data sets. Objective. The goal of the work is to develop a procedure for anomaly detection in heterogeneous data sets, and the rationale for using a number of trimmed-mean robust estimators as a statistical measure of the location parameter of distorted parametric distribution models. Method. The problems of analysis (processing) of heterogeneous data containing outliers, sharply distinguished, suspicious observations are considered. The possibilities of using robust estimation methods for processing heterogeneous data have been analyzed. A procedure for identification and extraction of outliers caused by measurement errors, hidden equipment defects, experimental conditions, etc. has been proposed. The proposed approach is based on the procedure of symmetric and asymmetric truncation of the ranked set obtained from the initial sample of measurement data, based on the methods of robust statistics. For a reasonable choice of the value of the truncation coefficient, it is proposed to use adaptive robust procedures. Observations that fell into the zone of smallest and lowest ordinal statistics are considered outliers. Results. The proposed approach allows, in contrast to the traditional criteria for identifying outlying observations, such as the Smirnov (Grubbs) criterion, the Dixon criterion, etc., to split the analyzed set of data into a homogeneous component and identify the set of outlying observations, assuming that their share in the total set of analyzed data is unknown. Conclusions. The article proposes the use of robust statistics methods for the formation of supposed zones containing homoge-neous and outlying observations in the ranked set, built on the basis of the initial sample of the analyzed data. It is proposed to use a complex of adaptive robust procedures to establish the expected truncation levels that form the zones of outlying observations in the region of the lowest and smallest order statistics of the ranked dataset. The final level of truncation of the ranked dataset is refined on the basis of existing criteria that allow checking the boundary observations (minimum and maximum) for outliers.