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Wald or Inverse Gaussian Distribution

To: s-news@lists.biostat.wustl.edu
Subject: Wald or Inverse Gaussian Distribution
From: Andrew Heathcote <Andrew.Heathcote@newcastle.edu.au>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 12:38:27 +1100
Does S or R have the pdf, cdf and quantile function for the Wald distribution 
(also sometimes called the Inverse Gaussian distribution, amongst others it can 
be derived as the first passage time distribution of a space and time 
homogenous Weiner diffusion)? 

The pdf can be expressed in terms of simple functions, and the cdf (p = F(x)) 
in terms of the normal cdf (Phi), so both can be computed easily. However, I 
cant solve explicitly the cdf to get the quantile function (x = Q(p)), which 
would provide a way to generate samples from the Wald (from 0-1 uniform samples 
(u) using Q(u)). 

Does anyone know a fast way to generate Wald samples? I could use numerical 
methods to solve for Q(u), or simulate first passage times for a random walk 
with small steps, but both will be rather slow. 

Thanks 





Associate Professor ANDREW HEATHCOTE
School of Behavioural Science       Telephone
Building W, University Drive           Area:  1-61-2  
University of  Newcastle           Fax:     49216980 
NSW,   2308,   AUSTRALIA     Office: 49215952


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