Products
  • Wolfram|One

    The definitive Wolfram Language and notebook experience

  • Mathematica

    The original technical computing environment

  • Notebook Assistant + LLM Kit

    All-in-one AI assistance for your Wolfram experience

  • Compute Services
  • System Modeler
  • Finance Platform
  • Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition
  • Application Server
  • Enterprise Private Cloud
  • Wolfram Engine
  • Wolfram Player
  • Wolfram Cloud App
  • Wolfram Player App

More mobile apps

Core Technologies of Wolfram Products

  • Wolfram Language
  • Computable Data
  • Wolfram Notebooks
  • AI & Linguistic Understanding

Deployment Options

  • Wolfram Cloud
  • wolframscript
  • Wolfram Engine Community Edition
  • Wolfram LLM API
  • WSTPServer
  • Wolfram|Alpha APIs

From the Community

  • Function Repository
  • Community Paclet Repository
  • Example Repository
  • Neural Net Repository
  • Prompt Repository
  • Wolfram Demonstrations
  • Data Repository
  • Group & Organizational Licensing
  • All Products
Consulting & Solutions

We deliver solutions for the AI era—combining symbolic computation, data-driven insights and deep technical expertise

  • Data & Computational Intelligence
  • Model-Based Design
  • Algorithm Development
  • Wolfram|Alpha for Business
  • Blockchain Technology
  • Education Technology
  • Quantum Computation

Wolfram Consulting

Wolfram Solutions

  • Data Science
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biosciences
  • Healthcare Intelligence
  • Sustainable Energy
  • Control Systems
  • Enterprise Wolfram|Alpha
  • Blockchain Labs

More Wolfram Solutions

Wolfram Solutions For Education

  • Research Universities
  • Colleges & Teaching Universities
  • Junior & Community Colleges
  • High Schools
  • Educational Technology
  • Computer-Based Math

More Solutions for Education

  • Contact Us
Learning & Support

Get Started

  • Wolfram Language Introduction
  • Fast Intro for Programmers
  • Fast Intro for Math Students
  • Wolfram Language Documentation

More Learning

  • Highlighted Core Areas
  • Demonstrations
  • YouTube
  • Daily Study Groups
  • Wolfram Schools and Programs
  • Books

Grow Your Skills

  • Wolfram U

    Courses in computing, science, life and more

  • Community

    Learn, solve problems and share ideas.

  • Blog

    News, views and insights from Wolfram

  • Resources for

    Software Developers

Tech Support

  • Contact Us
  • Support FAQs
  • Support FAQs
  • Contact Us
Company
  • About Wolfram
  • Career Center
  • All Sites & Resources
  • Connect & Follow
  • Contact Us

Work with Us

  • Student Ambassador Initiative
  • Wolfram for Startups
  • Student Opportunities
  • Jobs Using Wolfram Language

Educational Programs for Adults

  • Summer School
  • Winter School

Educational Programs for Youth

  • Middle School Camp
  • High School Research Program
  • Computational Adventures

Read

  • Stephen Wolfram's Writings
  • Wolfram Blog
  • Wolfram Tech | Books
  • Wolfram Media
  • Complex Systems

Educational Resources

  • Wolfram MathWorld
  • Wolfram in STEM/STEAM
  • Wolfram Challenges
  • Wolfram Problem Generator

Wolfram Initiatives

  • Wolfram Science
  • Wolfram Foundation
  • History of Mathematics Project

Events

  • Stephen Wolfram Livestreams
  • Online & In-Person Events
  • Contact Us
  • Connect & Follow
Wolfram|Alpha
  • Your Account
  • User Portal
  • Wolfram Cloud
  • Products
    • Wolfram|One
    • Mathematica
    • Notebook Assistant + LLM Kit
    • Compute Services
    • System Modeler
    • Finance Platform
    • Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition
    • Application Server
    • Enterprise Private Cloud
    • Wolfram Engine
    • Wolfram Player
    • Wolfram Cloud App
    • Wolfram Player App

    More mobile apps

    • Core Technologies
      • Wolfram Language
      • Computable Data
      • Wolfram Notebooks
      • AI & Linguistic Understanding
    • Deployment Options
      • Wolfram Cloud
      • wolframscript
      • Wolfram Engine Community Edition
      • Wolfram LLM API
      • WSTPServer
      • Wolfram|Alpha APIs
    • From the Community
      • Function Repository
      • Community Paclet Repository
      • Example Repository
      • Neural Net Repository
      • Prompt Repository
      • Wolfram Demonstrations
      • Data Repository
    • Group & Organizational Licensing
    • All Products
  • Consulting & Solutions

    We deliver solutions for the AI era—combining symbolic computation, data-driven insights and deep technical expertise

    WolframConsulting.com

    Wolfram Solutions

    • Data Science
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Biosciences
    • Healthcare Intelligence
    • Sustainable Energy
    • Control Systems
    • Enterprise Wolfram|Alpha
    • Blockchain Labs

    More Wolfram Solutions

    Wolfram Solutions For Education

    • Research Universities
    • Colleges & Teaching Universities
    • Junior & Community Colleges
    • High Schools
    • Educational Technology
    • Computer-Based Math

    More Solutions for Education

    • Contact Us
  • Learning & Support

    Get Started

    • Wolfram Language Introduction
    • Fast Intro for Programmers
    • Fast Intro for Math Students
    • Wolfram Language Documentation

    Grow Your Skills

    • Wolfram U

      Courses in computing, science, life and more

    • Community

      Learn, solve problems and share ideas.

    • Blog

      News, views and insights from Wolfram

    • Resources for

      Software Developers
    • Tech Support
      • Contact Us
      • Support FAQs
    • More Learning
      • Highlighted Core Areas
      • Demonstrations
      • YouTube
      • Daily Study Groups
      • Wolfram Schools and Programs
      • Books
    • Support FAQs
    • Contact Us
  • Company
    • About Wolfram
    • Career Center
    • All Sites & Resources
    • Connect & Follow
    • Contact Us

    Work with Us

    • Student Ambassador Initiative
    • Wolfram for Startups
    • Student Opportunities
    • Jobs Using Wolfram Language

    Educational Programs for Adults

    • Summer School
    • Winter School

    Educational Programs for Youth

    • Middle School Camp
    • High School Research Program
    • Computational Adventures

    Read

    • Stephen Wolfram's Writings
    • Wolfram Blog
    • Wolfram Tech | Books
    • Wolfram Media
    • Complex Systems
    • Educational Resources
      • Wolfram MathWorld
      • Wolfram in STEM/STEAM
      • Wolfram Challenges
      • Wolfram Problem Generator
    • Wolfram Initiatives
      • Wolfram Science
      • Wolfram Foundation
      • History of Mathematics Project
    • Events
      • Stephen Wolfram Livestreams
      • Online & In-Person Events
    • Contact Us
    • Connect & Follow
  • Wolfram|Alpha
  • Wolfram Cloud
  • Your Account
  • User Portal
Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center
MAProcess
  • See Also
    • ARProcess
    • ARMAProcess
    • ARIMAProcess
    • FARIMAProcess
    • SARMAProcess
    • SARIMAProcess
    • TimeSeriesInvertibility
    • ToInvertibleTimeSeries
    • NormalDistribution
    • MultinormalDistribution
    • TransferFunctionModel
    • StateSpaceModel
  • Related Guides
    • Time Series Processes
    • Finite Markov Processes
    • See Also
      • ARProcess
      • ARMAProcess
      • ARIMAProcess
      • FARIMAProcess
      • SARMAProcess
      • SARIMAProcess
      • TimeSeriesInvertibility
      • ToInvertibleTimeSeries
      • NormalDistribution
      • MultinormalDistribution
      • TransferFunctionModel
      • StateSpaceModel
    • Related Guides
      • Time Series Processes
      • Finite Markov Processes

MAProcess[{b1,…,bq},v]

represents a moving-average process of order q with normal white noise variance v.

MAProcess[{b1,…,bq},Σ]

represents a vector MA process with multinormal white noise covariance matrix Σ.

MAProcess[{b1,…,bq},v,init]

represents an MA process with initial data init.

MAProcess[c,…]

represents an MA process with a constant c.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Basic Uses  
Covariance and Spectrum  
Stationarity and Invertibility  
Estimation Methods  
Process Slice Properties  
Representations  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Possible Issues  
Neat Examples  
See Also
Related Guides
History
Cite this Page
BUILT-IN SYMBOL
  • See Also
    • ARProcess
    • ARMAProcess
    • ARIMAProcess
    • FARIMAProcess
    • SARMAProcess
    • SARIMAProcess
    • TimeSeriesInvertibility
    • ToInvertibleTimeSeries
    • NormalDistribution
    • MultinormalDistribution
    • TransferFunctionModel
    • StateSpaceModel
  • Related Guides
    • Time Series Processes
    • Finite Markov Processes
    • See Also
      • ARProcess
      • ARMAProcess
      • ARIMAProcess
      • FARIMAProcess
      • SARMAProcess
      • SARIMAProcess
      • TimeSeriesInvertibility
      • ToInvertibleTimeSeries
      • NormalDistribution
      • MultinormalDistribution
      • TransferFunctionModel
      • StateSpaceModel
    • Related Guides
      • Time Series Processes
      • Finite Markov Processes

MAProcess

MAProcess[{b1,…,bq},v]

represents a moving-average process of order q with normal white noise variance v.

MAProcess[{b1,…,bq},Σ]

represents a vector MA process with multinormal white noise covariance matrix Σ.

MAProcess[{b1,…,bq},v,init]

represents an MA process with initial data init.

MAProcess[c,…]

represents an MA process with a constant c.

Details

  • MAProcess is also known as a finite impulse response (FIR) filter.
  • MAProcess is a discrete-time and continuous-state random process.
  • The MA process is described by the difference equation , where is the state output, is white noise input, is the shift operator, and the constant c is taken to be zero if not specified.
  • The initial data init can be given as a list {…,y[-2],y[-1]} or a single-path TemporalData object with time stamps understood as {…,-2,-1}.
  • A scalar MA process should have real coefficients bi and c, and a positive variance v.
  • An -dimensional vector MA process should have real coefficient matrices bi of dimensions ×, real vector c of length , and the covariance matrix Σ should be symmetric positive definite of dimensions ×.
  • The MA process with zero constant has transfer function where:
  • scalar process
    vector process; is the × identity matrix
  • MAProcess[tproc,q] for a time series process tproc gives an MA process of order q such that the series expansions about zero of the corresponding transfer functions agree up to degree q.
  • Possible time series processes tproc include ARProcess, ARMAProcess, and SARIMAProcess.
  • MAProcess[q] represents a moving-average process of order q for use in EstimatedProcess and related functions.
  • MAProcess can be used with such functions as CovarianceFunction, RandomFunction, and TimeSeriesForecast.

Examples

open all close all

Basic Examples  (3)

Simulate an MA process:

Covariance function:

Correlation function:

Partial correlation function:

Scope  (37)

Basic Uses  (11)

Simulate an ensemble of paths:

Simulate with given precision:

Simulate a first-order scalar process:

Sample paths for positive and negative values of the parameter:

Initial values do not influence the process values:

Simulate a two-dimensional process:

Create a 2D sample path function from the data:

The color of the path is the function of time:

Create a 3D sample path function with time:

The color of the path is the function of time:

Simulate a three-dimensional process:

Create a sample path function from the data:

The color of the path is the function of time:

Estimation:

Compare the sample covariance functions with the one of the estimated process:

Use TimeSeriesModel to automatically find orders:

Compare the sample covariance functions with the best time series model:

Find maximum likelihood estimator:

Fix the constant and the variance and estimate the remaining parameters:

Plot the log-likelihood function together with the position of the estimated parameters:

Estimate a vector moving-average process:

Compare covariance functions for each component:

Forecast future values:

Show the forecast path:

Plot the data and the forecasted values:

Find a forecast for a vector-valued time series process:

Find the forecast for the next 10 steps:

Plot the data and the forecast for each component:

Covariance and Spectrum  (6)

Correlation function exists in closed form:

Closed form of the partial correlation function for the first order:

Covariance matrix:

Covariance matrix of an MAProcess is symmetric multidiagonal:

Correlation matrix:

Covariance function for a vector-valued process:

Power spectral density:

Vector MAProcess:

Stationarity and Invertibility  (4)

MAProcess is weakly stationary for any choice of parameters:

For a vector process:

Check if a time series is invertible:

For a vector process:

Find invertible representation for a moving-average process:

The moments are being conserved:

Find invertibility conditions:

Find conditions for higher order:

Estimation Methods  (6)

The available methods for estimating an MAProcess:

Compare log likelihoods:

Method of moments allows following solvers:

This method allows for fixed parameters:

Some relations between parameters are also permitted:

Maximum conditional likelihood method allows following solvers:

This method allows for fixed parameters:

Some relations between parameters are also permitted:

Maximum likelihood method allows following solvers:

This method allows for fixed parameters:

Some relations between parameters are also permitted:

Spectral estimator allows to specify windows used for PowerSpectralDensity calculation:

Spectral estimator allows following solvers:

This method allows for fixed parameters:

Some relations between parameters are also permitted:

Minimum prediction method:

This method allows for fixed parameters:

Process Slice Properties  (5)

Single time SliceDistribution:

Multiple time slice distributions:

Slice distribution of a vector-valued time series:

First-order probability density function:

Stationary mean and variance:

Compare with the density function of a normal distribution:

Compute the expectation of an expression:

Calculate a probability:

Skewness and kurtosis are constant:

Moment of order r:

Generating functions:

CentralMoment and its generating function:

FactorialMoment has no closed form for symbolic order:

Cumulant and its generating function:

Representations  (5)

Approximate an AR process with an MA process of order 5:

Compare the covariance function for the original and the approximate processes:

Approximate a vector process:

Approximate an ARMA process with an MA process:

Compare sample paths:

Approximate a SARIMA process with an MA process:

Compare sample paths:

TransferFunctionModel representation:

For a vector-valued process:

StateSpaceModel representation:

For a vector-valued process:

Applications  (1)

Consider the following time series data and determine whether it is adequately modeled by an MAProcess:

The correlation function drops off after lag 3. This is evidence of an MAProcess[3]:

The partial correlation alternates and dampens slowly, which also indicates an MAProcess:

Fit an MAProcess[3] model to the data:

Find residuals between the data and the model:

Test if residuals are normal white noise:

Properties & Relations  (5)

MAProcess is a special case of an ARMAProcess:

MAProcess is a special case of an ARIMAProcess:

MAProcess is a special case of a FARIMAProcess:

MAProcess is a special case of a SARMAProcess:

MAProcess is a special case of a SARIMAProcess:

Possible Issues  (3)

ToInvertibleTimeSeries does not always exist:

There are zeros of the TransferFunctionModel on the unit circle:

The method of moments may not find a solution in estimation:

Use a different solver:

Minimum prediction error estimation method does not allow repeated parameters:

Use a different method:

Neat Examples  (2)

Simulate a three-dimensional MAProcess:

Simulate paths from an MA process:

Take a slice at 50 and visualize its distribution:

Plot paths and histogram distribution of the slice distribution at 50:

See Also

ARProcess  ARMAProcess  ARIMAProcess  FARIMAProcess  SARMAProcess  SARIMAProcess  TimeSeriesInvertibility  ToInvertibleTimeSeries  NormalDistribution  MultinormalDistribution  TransferFunctionModel  StateSpaceModel

Related Guides

    ▪
  • Time Series Processes
  • ▪
  • Finite Markov Processes

History

Introduced in 2012 (9.0) | Updated in 2014 (10.0)

Wolfram Research (2012), MAProcess, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MAProcess.html (updated 2014).

Text

Wolfram Research (2012), MAProcess, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MAProcess.html (updated 2014).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2012. "MAProcess." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2014. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MAProcess.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2012). MAProcess. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MAProcess.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_maprocess, author="Wolfram Research", title="{MAProcess}", year="2014", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MAProcess.html}", note=[Accessed: 04-February-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_maprocess, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={MAProcess}, year={2014}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MAProcess.html}, note=[Accessed: 04-February-2026]}

Top
Introduction for Programmers
Introductory Book
Wolfram Function Repository | Wolfram Data Repository | Wolfram Data Drop | Wolfram Language Products
Top
  • Products
  • Wolfram|One
  • Mathematica
  • Notebook Assistant + LLM Kit
  • Compute Services
  • System Modeler

  • Wolfram|Alpha Notebook Edition
  • Wolfram|Alpha Pro
  • Mobile Apps

  • Wolfram Engine
  • Wolfram Player

  • Volume & Site Licensing
  • Server Deployment Options
  • Consulting
  • Wolfram Consulting
  • Repositories
  • Data Repository
  • Function Repository
  • Community Paclet Repository
  • Neural Net Repository
  • Prompt Repository

  • Wolfram Language Example Repository
  • Notebook Archive
  • Wolfram GitHub
  • Learning
  • Wolfram U
  • Wolfram Language Documentation
  • Webinars & Training
  • Educational Programs

  • Wolfram Language Introduction
  • Fast Introduction for Programmers
  • Fast Introduction for Math Students
  • Books

  • Wolfram Community
  • Wolfram Blog
  • Public Resources
  • Wolfram|Alpha
  • Wolfram Problem Generator
  • Wolfram Challenges

  • Computer-Based Math
  • Computational Thinking
  • Computational Adventures

  • Demonstrations Project
  • Wolfram Data Drop
  • MathWorld
  • Wolfram Science
  • Wolfram Media Publishing
  • Customer Resources
  • Store
  • Product Downloads
  • User Portal
  • Your Account
  • Organization Access

  • Support FAQ
  • Contact Support
  • Company
  • About Wolfram
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Events
Wolfram Community Wolfram Blog
Legal & Privacy Policy
WolframAlpha.com | WolframCloud.com
© 2026 Wolfram
© 2026 Wolfram | Legal & Privacy Policy |
English