Isserlis' theorem

For the result in quantum field theory about products of creation and annihilation operators, see Wick's theorem.

In probability theory, Isserlis' theorem or Wick's probability theorem is a formula that allows one to compute higher-order moments of the multivariate normal distribution in terms of its covariance matrix. It is named after Leon Isserlis.

This theorem is also particularly important in particle physics, where it is known as Wick's theorem after the work of Wick (1950).[1] Other applications include the analysis of portfolio returns,[2] quantum field theory[3] and generation of colored noise.[4]

  1. ^ Wick, G.C. (1950). "The evaluation of the collision matrix". Physical Review. 80 (2): 268–272. Bibcode:1950PhRv...80..268W. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.80.268.
  2. ^ Repetowicz, Przemysław; Richmond, Peter (2005). "Statistical inference of multivariate distribution parameters for non-Gaussian distributed time series" (PDF). Acta Physica Polonica B. 36 (9): 2785–2796. Bibcode:2005AcPPB..36.2785R.
  3. ^ Perez-Martin, S.; Robledo, L.M. (2007). "Generalized Wick's theorem for multiquasiparticle overlaps as a limit of Gaudin's theorem". Physical Review C. 76 (6): 064314. arXiv:0707.3365. Bibcode:2007PhRvC..76f4314P. doi:10.1103/PhysRevC.76.064314. S2CID 119627477.
  4. ^ Bartosch, L. (2001). "Generation of colored noise". International Journal of Modern Physics C. 12 (6): 851–855. Bibcode:2001IJMPC..12..851B. doi:10.1142/S0129183101002012. S2CID 54500670.