Maximum-Likelihood Estimation of Forecast and Observation Error Covariance Parameters. Part I: Methodology

Abstract

The maximum-likelihood method for estimating observation and forecast error covariance parameters is described. The method is presented in general terms but with particular emphasis on practical aspects of implementation. Issues such as bias estimation and correction, parameter identifiability, estimation accuracy, and robustness of the method, are discussed in detail. The relationship between the maximum-likelihood method and generalized cross-validation is briefly addressed. The method can be regarded as a generalization of the traditional procedure for estimating covariance parameters from station data. It does not involve any restrictions on the covariance models and can be used with data from moving observers, provided the parameters to be estimated are identifiable. Any available a priori information about the observation and forecast error distributions can be incorporated into the estimation procedure. Estimates of parameter accuracy due to sampling error are obtained as a by-product.