Paper 3, Section I, J

Statistical Modelling
Part II, 2010

Consider the linear model Y=Xβ+εY=X \beta+\varepsilon, where YY is a n×1n \times 1 random vector, εNn(0,σ2I)\varepsilon \sim N_{n}\left(0, \sigma^{2} I\right), and where the n×pn \times p nonrandom matrix XX is known and has full column rank pp. Derive the maximum likelihood estimator σ^2\hat{\sigma}^{2} of σ2\sigma^{2}. Without using Cochran's theorem, show carefully that σ^2\hat{\sigma}^{2} is biased. Suggest another estimator σ~2\tilde{\sigma}^{2} for σ2\sigma^{2} that is unbiased.