You have identified your process as involving:

This implies that you expect all aspects of the process—such as the mean, variance, and dynamics—to remain constant over time.

Models for processes with no change:

AR model

The class of autoregressive (AR) models is a subset of the broad family of autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) models. It is characterized by autoregression, meaning the observed variable is regressed on itself at earlier occasions. All ARMA models are stationary, meaning that their mean, variance, auto-correlations and all other aspects that characterize a process remain stable over time, despite the temporal fluctions of the process itself.

MA model

The class of moving-average (MA) models is a subset of the broad family of autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) models. It is characterized by the fact that the observed variable is rpresented as a weighteed average of the current pertubation and one or more past pertubations that were given to the system. All ARMA models are stationary, meaning that their mean, variance, auto-correlations and all other aspects that characterize a process remain stable over time, despite the temporal fluctions of the process itself.

ARMA model

The family of autoregressive moving-average models forms a well-known category of stationary models within the time series literature. While the models can be characterized by different temporal patterns, typical of stationary models is that their mean, variance, auto-correlations and all other aspects that characterize a process remain stable over time.

ARMAX model

The class of autoregressive moving-average models with exogenous inputs (ARMAX) can be used to model short-term dynamics in combination with one or more predictor variables \(X\). When the \(X\) variable is a stationary process, the ARMAX will also be stationary; this means there is variability and dynamics, but there are no changes over time.

White noise

A white noise process can be thought of as a special case of the family of autoregressive moving-average (ARMA) models. It is characterized by a total absence of autocorrelation.

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Estimation with state-space model

Many of the models that can be used to capture processes that contain no change, can be formulated in state-space format, which then allows for their estimation using the Kalman filter. This is the case for the ARMA model. For te models that contain exogenous variables, you need a state-space model that allows for the inclusion of exogenous variables in the measurement equation and transition equations. To specify the ARMAX model, you include the exogenous predictors in the transition equation; for dynamic regression you include them in the measurement equation, to separate them from the dynamics of the model.

Stationarity

Stationarity is an important concept in the time series literature. It implies that all the features of a process are stable over time, even though the process itself varies over time.

Stationarity tests

There are various tests that can be used to determine whether your univariate \(N=1\) time series is stationary. While this can provide valuable insights, it is important to keep in mind that these tests always focus on a particular kind of non-stationarity; hence, you cannot use them to rule out all possible ways in which your process may be non-stationary.

Stationarity and change

It may be easy to confuse the concept of stationarity with the idea that there is no change in your process. But change and non-stationarity are no synonyms. There are various models—like the threshold-autoregressive model or the Markov-switching autoregressive model—which are stationary, even though they are characterized by change in the form of recurrent switches between distinct regimes. The key issue here is that it is not possible to use time to predict when the switches will occur. As a result, these regime-switching processes fall within the category of stationary models.

Absence of trends

To be sure that your process is not characterized by any change, you may also investigate whether there is evidence that there is a trend. There are two broad classes of trends: deterministic versus stochastic trends. These show up as different temporal patterns and can therefore be detected in different ways.


Model Navigator

Ellen L. Hamaker
Ria H. A. Hoekstra