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What is EOF analysis?. EOF = Empirical Orthogonal Function Method of finding structures (or patterns) that explain maximum variance in (e.g.) 2D (space-time) dataset Mathematically EOFs are eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of a dataset. Math.
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What is EOF analysis? • EOF = Empirical Orthogonal Function • Method of finding structures (or patterns) that explain maximum variance in (e.g.) 2D (space-time) dataset • Mathematically EOFs are eigenvectors of the covariance matrix of a dataset
Math • Any (space-time) dataset can be represented as a matrix: X = M = Xij N
Math • Define XT XT = N = Xji M
Math • And covariance matrix C=XXT C = M N = M N M M
Math • EOFs (ei) are the eigenvectors of C C ei = ei
Math • Principal components: Fourier coefficients of the corresponding EOFs in the time expansion of the dataset PCi (t) = (XT, ei) Too easy, huh?
Math • Why does 1st EOF maximize explained variance? Answer: by construction. (eTX,Xte) = ||eTX|| = max (eT,e) = 1 Or: (eT,Ce) = , ( C = XXT ), Ce = e This maximizes on the eigenvector corresponding to the greatest eigenvalue. Amazing!
What do EOFs and PCs mean? • EOF – a coherent orthogonal spatial pattern. • First EOF explains most variance in a physical field • PC – time behavior of the corresponding EOF (=spatial pattern) Stunning! Let’s EOF everything!
EOF interpretation Direction of maximum variance
Tropospheric Winter Trends Cohen et al, 2012, ERL
Northern Hemisphere Land Temperatures 1987-2010 Data: CRU temperature Alexeev et al, 2012, Clim Change; Cohen et al, 2012, ERL
Why EOFs are not physical modes? Your equations: dx/dt + Ax = f Physical modes: eigenvectors of A. (Solve Ay = y) Physical modes are not orthogonal (generally speaking)
Why EOFs are not physical modes? Your equations: dx/dt + Ax = f EOFs – eigenvectors of a matrix derived from A AT EOFs: orthogonal by construction
Other methods • SVD = Singular Value Decomposition, aka MCA = Maximum Correlation Analysis • Method is looking for correlated spatial patterns in two different fields
Math • Correlation matrix CXY=XYT CXY = M N = M N L L
Math • SVD vectors of C: in U (X-field) and V (Y-field) matrices CXY = UVT
Other methods • CCA = Canonical Correlation Analysis: SVD over space of Fourier coefficients of EOFs
Other methods • POP = Principal Oscillation Pattern Analysis FDT over space of Fourier coefficients of EOFs (FDT = Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem)
POP = Principal Oscillating Patterns xn+1 = C xn + (C = ‘step forward’ operator) Assume < x, > = 0 < xn+1, xn > = C < xn, xn > + < x, > We can approximate C from: C = C 0 C-11 Where C0 = < xn, xn > , C1 = < xn+1, xn >
Other methods • Varimax, Quartimax, rotated EOF analysis EOF modifications
Other methods • MTM = Multi-Taper Method Combination of EOF and Wavelet analyses
Other methods • SSA = Singular Spectrum Analysis • MSSA = Multi-channel SSA • MTM-SVD • EEOF = Extended EOF • FDEOF = Frequency Domain EOF • CEOF = Complex EOF
When is EOF analysis useful? • Analysis of repeating pronounced patterns over long time series • Image/data compression • Filtering Not so fast….
When EOF use is inappropriate? • Short time series, lots of missing and/or inconsistent data • Absence of a prominent signal • Presence of a dominant trend in the data (e.g. seasonal cycle is dangerous!)
Why do people get so excited about EOFs? • EOFs can be applied to any dataset • Simplicity of the analysis is very appealing. Everyone does EOFs. • Patterns are often tempting to analyze (because of method’s simplicity)
Do not overdo it with EOFs! • “New” patterns sometimes turn out to be not so new. • Artificial (mechanistic) data de-trending can lead to surprises (example: removal of seasonal cycle does not remove changing seasonal variability in most of the fields)
Do scientists have problems interpreting EOF results? • Saying “I performed EOF analysis on my data” does not mean you explained any physics • EOFs usually do not coincide with eigen-modes of the physical process you are trying to interpret/explain. POP analysis does not give you orthonormal modes, but it might approximate your physical modes
Are results of EOF analysis accurate? • Statistical significance is always an issue. • If something correlates (even very well) with something else (or appears to be systematically preceding/following), this does not mean one causes the other. They both can be caused by something else.
What are EOF maniacs? • People who eof (svd, cca …) everything with everything just for the sake of it
Are there many EOF/SVD/CCA maniacs out there? • Yes, there are! (I am one of them)