Gaussian process

Gaussian process play an important role in random signal processing. A gaussian process is simply a random signal $X$ such that at each time $t$, $X(t)$ is a gaussian random variable. We give here a short reminder on gaussian random variables.

Real gaussian process

Real gaussian random variable\
Let $X$ be a random variable. $X$ is a real gaussian random variable iff its probability density function reads $$ p_X(u) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi \sigma^2}}e^{-\frac{(u-\mu)^2}{2\sigma^2}} $$ where $\mu$ is the expectation of $X$, and $\sigma^2$ its variance.

Real gaussian random vector\
Let $\boldsymbol{X}$ be a random vector. $\boldsymbol{X}$ is a real gaussian random vector iff every linear combination of its components is a real random variable.

Let $\boldsymbol{X}$ be a gaussian random vector of size $M$, let $\boldsymbol{\mu}\in\mathbb{R}^M$ its expectation and $\boldsymbol{\Sigma}\in\mathbb{R}^{M\times M}$ its covariance matrix: $$ \boldsymbol{\mu} = \text{E}(\boldsymbol{X})\quad \boldsymbol{\Sigma}=\text{E}\left((\boldsymbol{X}-\boldsymbol{\mu})(\boldsymbol{X}-\boldsymbol{\mu})^T\right) $$ We denote by $\boldsymbol{X} \sim \mathcal{N}\left(\boldsymbol{\mu},\boldsymbol{\Sigma}\right). If $\boldsymbol{\Sigma}$ is invertible, its probability density function reads $$ p_{\boldsymbol{X}}(\boldsymbol{u}) = \frac{1}{(2\pi)^{\frac{M}{2}}\sqrt{|\text{det}\left(\boldsymbol{\Sigma}\right)|}}e^{-\frac{1}{2}(\boldsymbol{u}-\boldsymbol{\mu})^T\boldsymbol{\Sigma}^{-1}(\boldsymbol{u}-\boldsymbol{\mu})} $$

Real Gaussian process\
Let $X$ be a real stochastic process. $X$ is said Gaussian iff for all finite set $\lbrace t_1,\ldots,t_m \rbrace of instants, the random vector $\boldsymbol{X} = (X(t_1),\ldots,X(t_m))$ is a real gaussian vector.

Circular complex Gaussian process

If the random variable is complex, the circularity means the invariance by rotation in the complex plan of the statistics. In other words, for all $\phi\in\mathbb{R}$, $X$ and $Xe^{i\phi}$ have the same probability density function. Then, circular complex random variable are of zero mean. One has $$ \text{E}(X) = 0 \quad \text{ and } \quad \text{E}(X^2) = 0 $$ Remark for a zero mean complex random variable $\text{E}(X^2)$ is not the variance of $X$. Indeed, the variance is given by $\text{Var}(X) = \text{E}(X\overline{X})$.

Complex circular gaussian random variable\
Let $X$ be a random variable. $X$ is a complex circular gaussian random variable iff its probability density function reads $$ p_X(u) = \frac{1}{\sigma\pi}e^{-\frac{|u|^2}{\sigma^2}} $$ where $\sigma^2$ is the variance of $X$.

Complex circular gaussian random vector\
Let $\boldsymbol{X}$ be a random vector. $\boldsymbol{X}$ is a complex circular gaussian random vector iff every linear combination of its components is a complex circular random variable.

Let $\boldsymbol{X}$ be a complex circular gaussian random vector of size $M$, let $\boldsymbol{\Sigma}\in\mathbb{R}^{M\times M}$ its covariance matrix: $$ \boldsymbol{\Sigma}=\text{E}\left(\boldsymbol{X}\boldsymbol{X}^{*}\right) $$ We denote by $\boldsymbol{X}\sim\mathcal{CN}\left(\boldsymbol{0},\boldsymbol{\Sigma}\right)$. If $\boldsymbol{\Sigma}$ is invertible, its probability density function reads $$ p_{\boldsymbol{X}}(\boldsymbol{u}) = \frac{1}{\pi^{M}|\text{det}\left(\boldsymbol{\Sigma}\right)|} e^{-\boldsymbol{u}^{*}\boldsymbol{\Sigma}^{-1}\boldsymbol{u}} $$

Complex circular Gaussian process\
Let $X$ be a complex stochastic process. $X$ is said complex circular Gaussian iff for all finite set $\lbrace t_1,\ldots,t_m \rbrace of instants, the random vector $\boldsymbol{X} = (X(t_1),\ldots,X(t_m))$ is a complex circular gaussian vector.

Stationarity of gaussian process

A Gaussian process being perfectly determined by its first two moments, the weak stationarity implies the strong stationarity.