Estimation methods for a linearly structured covariance matrix

Covariance matrices with a linear structure are widely used in multivariate analysis. The choice of the most appropriate covariance structure can be made from a class of possible linear structures. Once we have made the choice, an important question is how we can estimate the covariance matrix for a given covariance structure. This article describes methods used to estimate the structured covariance matrix, and indicates the advantages and disadvantages of the selected methods.