A signature-based spatial scan statistic for functional data

Abstract

We have developed a new signature-based spatial scan statistic for functional data (SigFSS). This scan statistic can be applied to both univariate and multivariate functional data. In a simulation study, SigFSS almost always performed better than the literature approaches and yielded more precise clusters in geographic terms. Lastly, we used SigFSS to search for spatial clusters of abnormally high or abnormally low mortality rates in mainland France.