Error propagation in extrapolated nuclear mass predictions

Abstract

The properties of the error of the nuclear masses calculated from the transverse mass relations are analysed. The work assumes that the calculated errors of the nuclei whose masses are known experimentally behave as a sample selected randomly from a normal population having a zero mean and a standard deviationσ. It is found that the errors of the calculated masses of nuclei far from the line of beta-stability behave asc ₁ d ^3/2 wherec ₁ is a constant andd is the distance of the nucleus from the line of beta-stability. It is shown also that the errors related to the calculated mass differences behave asc ₂ d ^1/2 wherec ₂ is another constant.