Inferring time non-homogeneous Ornstein Uhlenbeck type stochastic process

A generalization of the classical Ornstein Uhlenbeck diffusion process including some deterministic time dependent functions in the infinitesimal moments is considered. The inference based on discrete sampling in time is provided by means of an iterative procedure that, in each step, combines the classical maximum likelihood estimation and a generalized method of moments. The validity of the suggested procedure is evaluated via a simulation study by considering several infinitesimal moments for the Ornstein Uhlenbeck type process and taking different sample size. Finally, an application to PM10 daily concentration in Turin metropolitan area in Italy is discussed.