Abstract
Errors caused by serious malfunctioning of instruments will generally be discovered because they create unbelievable results. Small deviations are much more difficult to detect. Sections 6.4.2 and 7.6 dealt with aberrant processes taking place at high count rates and discussed preventive measures. The effect of noise, another instrument distortion, has been discussed in Sections 6.4.5 and 7.7.4. Still another deviation from the true results caused by instruments may be introduced by the scaler (see Sect. 2.3.5). The time base (Sect. 11.2.1) which opens and closes the counting gate can be coupled to the line frequency, and fluctuations in this will be reflected in the results obtained.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References and Notes
M. R. Spiegel, Theory and Problems of Statistics, Schaum Publishing Company, New York (1961). An easily understood book on statistics.
Hewlett-Packard Company, Statistical Comparison of Digital System and a Ratemeter for Nuclear Measurements, Application Note 79, Palo Alto (1966). Discusses accuracies obtainable with a scaler and a ratemeter.
G. I. Coats, Absolute counting using the zero probability analysis, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. NS-13:301 (1966). Instrumental and statistical discussion of a method to count the absence of pulses.
K. G. Proges, C. J. Rush, and G. E. Caya, Reduction of processing losses in on-line or off-line acquisition of random counts at high rates, Nucl. Instr. Meth. 78:115 (1970). Discusses the effect of a four-way parallel counter on dead time losses.
A. Foglio Para and M. Mandelli Bettoni, Counting statistics of nuclear detectors, Nucl. Instr. Meth. 70:52 (1969). Describes the difference between a paralyzable and a nonparalyzable detector.
A. S. Goldin, Optimum distribution of counter time, Nucl. Instr. Meth. 48:321 (1967). Derives formulas from time distribution and gives ratios for the improvements to be obtained.
P. C. Jurs and T. L. Isenhour, Binomial distribution statistics applied to minimizing activation analysis counting errors, Anal Chem. 39:1388 (1967). A computer treatment of variables involved in activation analysis in order to minimize statistical errors.
E. Tanaka, Optimum window setting in a spectrometer for low-level activity counting, Int. J. Appl. Rad. Isotopes 16:405 (1965). Graphical method to adjust window width.
S. Sterlinski, The lower limit of detection for very short-lived radioisotopes used in activation analysis, Nucl. Instr. Meth. 68:341 (1969). Discusses the point that the difference between Poisson distributions is not Poisson, but more complex.
W. L. Nicholson, Statistics of net-counting-rate estimation with dominant background corrections, Nucleonics 24:118 (August 1966). Deals mainly with the problem of determining whether a certain amount of activity is present.
R. Loevinger and M. Berman, Efficiency criteria in radioactivity counting, Nucleonics 9:26 (July 1951). A good discussion of statistical counting problems.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1973 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Krugers, J. (1973). Statistics. In: Krugers, J. (eds) Instrumentation in Applied Nuclear Chemistry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1953-5_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1953-5_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1955-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1953-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive