Some Properties and Improvements of the Saddlepoint Approximation in Nonlinear Regression

We summarize properties of the saddlepoint approximation of the density of the maximum likelihood estimator in nonlinear regression with normal errors: accuracy, range of validity, equivariance. We give a geometric insight into the accuracy of the saddlepoint density for finite samples. The role of the Riemannian curvature tensor in the whole investigation of the properties is demonstrated. By adding terms containing this tensor we improve the saddlepoint approximation. When this tensor is zero, or when the number of observations is large, we have pivotal, independent, and ² distributed variables, like in a linear model. Consequences for experimental design or for constructions of confidence regions are discussed.