| Issue |
A&A
Volume 430, Number 1, January IV 2005
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 355 - 362 | |
| Section | Astronomical instrumentation | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20035839 | |
| Published online | 12 January 2005 | |
Significance in gamma-ray astronomy – the Li & Ma problem in Bayesian statistics
MPI für Kernphysik, PO Box 103980, 69029 Heidelberg, Germany e-mail: Stefan.Gillessen@mpi-hd.mpg.de
Received:
10
December
2003
Accepted:
15
September
2004
The significance of having detected an astrophysical gamma ray source is usually calculated by means of a formula derived by Li & Ma (1983, ApJ, 272, 317). We solve the same problem in terms of Bayesian statistics, which provides a logically more satisfactory framework. We do not use any subjective elements in the present version of Bayesian statistics. We show that for large count numbers and a weak source the Li & Ma formula agrees with the Bayesian result. For other cases the two results differ, both due to the mathematically different treatment and the fact that only Bayesian inference can take into account prior knowldege.
Key words: methods: statistical / gamma rays: observations
© ESO, 2005
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.