Estimation of a Bivariate Extreme Value Distribution

Several threshold methods have been proposed for the purpose of estimating a bivariate extreme value distribution from a sample of data whose distribution is only in its domain of attraction. An integrated view of these methods is presented which leads to the introduction of a new asymptotically consistent estimator of the dependence function characterizing the extreme dependence structure. Through Monte Carlo simulations, the new estimator is also shown to do as well as its competitors and to outperform them in cases of weak dependence. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that the small-sample behavior of nonparametric bivariate threshold methods has ever been investigated.