Estimation of a star-shaped distribution function.

A life distribution function (DF)Fis said to be star-shaped ifis nondecreasing on its support. This generalises the model of a convex DF, even allowing for jumps. The nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation is known to be inconsistent. We provide a uniformly strongly consistent least-squares estimator. We also derive the convergence in distribution of the estimator at a point whereis increasing using the arg max theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]