vix.ing · top · new · best · stats · spec

Fitting circles to scattered data: parameter estimates have no moments

2009/07/02 by N. Chernov, Chernov, N.
Computer Science · Environmental Science · Mathematics · #Advanced Statistical Methods and Models #FOS: Mathematics #G.3 #Image and Object Detection Techniques #Soil Geostatistics and Mapping #Statistics Theory (math.ST) #math.ST #msc:G.3 #stat.TH

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0907.0429

14 pages

arxiv created 2009/07/02 · openalex publication_date 2009/07/02 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We study a nonlinear regression problem of fitting a circle (or a circular arc) to scattered data. We prove that under any standard assumptions on the statistical distribution of errors that are commonly adopted in the literature, the estimates of the circle center and radius have infinite moments. We also discuss methodological implications of this fact.

Related