  We illustrate relationships between classical kernel-based dimensionality
reduction techniques and eigendecompositions of empirical estimates of
reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) operators associated with dynamical
systems. In particular, we show that kernel canonical correlation analysis
(CCA) can be interpreted in terms of kernel transfer operators and that it can
be obtained by optimizing the variational approach for Markov processes (VAMP)
score. As a result, we show that coherent sets of particle trajectories can be
computed by kernel CCA. We demonstrate the efficiency of this approach with
several examples, namely the well-known Bickley jet, ocean drifter data, and a
molecular dynamics problem with a time-dependent potential. Finally, we propose
a straightforward generalization of dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) called
coherent mode decomposition (CMD). Our results provide a generic machine
learning approach to the computation of coherent sets with an objective score
that can be used for cross-validation and the comparison of different methods.
