Mixture Models: Theory, Geometry and Applications

Abstract

The mixture model has long been a challenge to the statistician, whether beginner,\npractitioner or theoretician. Recent times have seen great advances in\nour understanding of the some basic mathematical features of this model, and\nthese notes are meant to be a unification of the work I have carried out, jointly\nwith many wonderful collaborators, in this area. Based on lectures given in\n1993 at a regional conference of the Conference Board of the Mathematical\nSciences, the notes are directed toward a mixed audience of advanced graduate\nstudents and research workers in this and related areas. For the sake of\nnewcomers to the mixture model, I will attempt to be complete enough for the\ntext to make sense in itself, but must at some points refer the reader to other\nmore extensive treatments.