Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jun 1984
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1984acaps...4...65m&link_type=abstract
(Acta Astrophysica Sinica, vol. 4, no. 1, 1984, p. 65-73) Chinese Astronomy and Astrophysics (ISSN 0275-1062), vol. 8, June 1984
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Gamma Ray Astronomy, Gamma Ray Spectra, Statistical Tests, X Ray Astronomy, X Ray Spectra, Astronomical Spectroscopy, Background Radiation, Confidence Limits, Likelihood Ratio, Line Spectra, Monte Carlo Method, Significance
Scientific paper
Available methods for estimating the statistical significance of X ray and gamma ray lines from weak stellar sources are reviewed and a new formulation is presented. Attention is given to the Poisson distribution for the significance level and a relative likelihood technique for accounting for background sources. The new method involves measuring the signal intensity, finding its variance and standard error, and then calculating the significance level. It is shown that inclusion of both background and object photons leads to comparison with a normal distribution to obtain the confidence interval of the result. A Monte Carlo simulation is performed to verify that the results will be accurate within statistical error bounds. Recalculations of confidence intervals for previous statistics on solar flares, galactic center emissions, the Crab Nebula and a transient event demonstrate that the confidence interval has often been over- and underestimated.
Li Ti Pei
Ma Yan-Qing
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