A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data

IntroductionAdvanced statistical modeling techniques, such as copula-based methods, have significantly improved the forecasting of weather variables by capturing dependencies between them. However, conventional copula approaches, such as the bivariate copula, often fail to capture complex interactio...

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Main Authors: Kevin Otieno, Linda Chaba, Evans Omondi, Collins Odhiambo, Bernard Omolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fams.2025.1585707/full
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author Kevin Otieno
Linda Chaba
Linda Chaba
Evans Omondi
Evans Omondi
Collins Odhiambo
Collins Odhiambo
Bernard Omolo
Bernard Omolo
author_facet Kevin Otieno
Linda Chaba
Linda Chaba
Evans Omondi
Evans Omondi
Collins Odhiambo
Collins Odhiambo
Bernard Omolo
Bernard Omolo
author_sort Kevin Otieno
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionAdvanced statistical modeling techniques, such as copula-based methods, have significantly improved the forecasting of weather variables by capturing dependencies between them. However, conventional copula approaches, such as the bivariate copula, often fail to capture complex interactions in high-dimensional climate data. This study aims to develop a multivariate joint distribution model for climatic variables using the Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) framework.MethodsParametric methods were used to fit marginal distributions to the six variables. The uniform variates were extracted using the inverse transformation technique. The structure and parameter estimation of HAC models were determined using the Recursive Maximum likelihood (RML) method. Model selection methods, Goodness of Fit (GOF) approaches, and graphical assessment were used to select the optimal HAC model.ResultsThe Weibull distribution was identified as the best fit for temperature, humidity, solar energy, and cloud cover, while the Gamma distribution was most suitable for wind, and the logistic distribution for sea-level pressure. For high-dimensional data, the HAC Frank copula demonstrated computational efficiency and effectively captured dependencies among variables.DiscussionThe HAC-Frank model offers a reliable and computationally efficient alternative for modeling high-dimensional climate dependencies, thereby providing a robust framework for climate forecasting, risk assessment, and environmental modeling.
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spelling doaj-art-9db6fe21d05d40c0b63f99a335a56a502025-08-20T03:07:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics2297-46872025-06-011110.3389/fams.2025.15857071585707A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan dataKevin Otieno0Linda Chaba1Linda Chaba2Evans Omondi3Evans Omondi4Collins Odhiambo5Collins Odhiambo6Bernard Omolo7Bernard Omolo8Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaInstitute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaDepartment of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United StatesInstitute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaAfrican Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, KenyaInstitute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaCollege of Medicine, Pediatrics Department, University of Illinois, Peoria, IL, United StatesInstitute of Mathematical Sciences, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaDivision of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC, United StatesIntroductionAdvanced statistical modeling techniques, such as copula-based methods, have significantly improved the forecasting of weather variables by capturing dependencies between them. However, conventional copula approaches, such as the bivariate copula, often fail to capture complex interactions in high-dimensional climate data. This study aims to develop a multivariate joint distribution model for climatic variables using the Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) framework.MethodsParametric methods were used to fit marginal distributions to the six variables. The uniform variates were extracted using the inverse transformation technique. The structure and parameter estimation of HAC models were determined using the Recursive Maximum likelihood (RML) method. Model selection methods, Goodness of Fit (GOF) approaches, and graphical assessment were used to select the optimal HAC model.ResultsThe Weibull distribution was identified as the best fit for temperature, humidity, solar energy, and cloud cover, while the Gamma distribution was most suitable for wind, and the logistic distribution for sea-level pressure. For high-dimensional data, the HAC Frank copula demonstrated computational efficiency and effectively captured dependencies among variables.DiscussionThe HAC-Frank model offers a reliable and computationally efficient alternative for modeling high-dimensional climate dependencies, thereby providing a robust framework for climate forecasting, risk assessment, and environmental modeling.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fams.2025.1585707/fullHierarchical Archimedean Copulacumulative distribution functionprobability distributiongoodness-of-fit testsvine copulamultivariate dependence
spellingShingle Kevin Otieno
Linda Chaba
Linda Chaba
Evans Omondi
Evans Omondi
Collins Odhiambo
Collins Odhiambo
Bernard Omolo
Bernard Omolo
A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data
Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Hierarchical Archimedean Copula
cumulative distribution function
probability distribution
goodness-of-fit tests
vine copula
multivariate dependence
title A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data
title_full A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data
title_fullStr A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data
title_full_unstemmed A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data
title_short A Hierarchical Archimedean Copula (HAC) model for climatic variables: an application to Kenyan data
title_sort hierarchical archimedean copula hac model for climatic variables an application to kenyan data
topic Hierarchical Archimedean Copula
cumulative distribution function
probability distribution
goodness-of-fit tests
vine copula
multivariate dependence
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fams.2025.1585707/full
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