Identifiability of covariance kernels in the Gaussian process regression model

Abstract

Gaussian process regression (GPR) model is a popular nonparametric regression model. In GPR, features of the regression function such as varying degrees of smoothness and periodicities are modeled through combining various covarinace kernels, which are supposed to model certain effects (Bousquet et al., 2011; Gelman et al., 2013). The covariance kernels have unknown parameters which are estimated by the EM-algorithm or Markov Chain Monte Carlo. The estimated parameters are keys to the inference of the features of the regression functions, but identifiability of these parameters has not been investigated. In this paper, we prove identifiability of covariance kernel parameters in two radial basis mixed kernel GPR and radial basis and periodic mixed kernel GPR. We also provide some examples about non-identifiable cases in such mixed kernel GPRs.