title: PREDICTION INTERVALS FOR INTEGRALS OF GAUSSIAN RANDOM FIELDS.
abstract: Methodology is proposed for the construction of prediction intervals for integrals of Gaussian random fields over bounded regions (called block averages in the geostatistical literature) based on observations at a finite set of sampling locations. Two bootstrap calibration algorithms are proposed, termed indirect and direct, aimed at improving upon plug-in prediction intervals in terms of coverage probability. A simulation study is carried out that illustrates the effectiveness of both procedures, and these procedures are applied to estimate block averages of chromium traces in a potentially contaminated region in Switzerland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Management Science and Statistics, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Management Science and Statistics, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA.
authors.forename: Bazoumana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kone
keywords: Block average; Bootstrap calibration; Change of support problem; Geostatistics; Kriging; Spatial average