Calculation of the detection limit in radiation measurements with systematic uncertainties

Study on SiPM performance at low temperatures between -60°C and -20°C

“…It comprises a high-density diode [12] matrix with a common output load, each in a finite Geiger-Muller mode for high gain [13][14][15]. Generally, the detection limit of the detector characterizes the sensitivity in radioactivity measurements [16], which refers to the minimum expected value of radioactivity that can be detected by a certain measurement method under a certain confidence level. Based on the measurement of radon and its daughters' concentrations, the detection limit is defined as the minimum detectable concentration (MDC) [17], and is presented in equation (1.1).…”

Bayesian inference for measurements of ionizing radiation under partial information

“…Such issues do not fit well into the estimation theory of classical statistics. Bayesian inference, on the other hand, is well suited to take into account such information, and corresponding approaches have been proposed recently (see Weise et al (2006), Kirkpatrick and Young (2009), Weise et al (2009), Kirkpatrick et al (2013), Kirkpatrick and Young (2015) and Michel (2016), among others).…”

“…ISO 11929:2010 standard (ISO 2010) proposes a calculation scheme of activity that can be seen as being based on such a Bayesian approach, see Kirkpatrick and Young (2015). However, the ISO 11929:2010 standard provides approximate solutions only, assuming (non-truncated) Gaussian distributions, and it applies the GUM (BIPM et al 2008).…”

“…However, the ISO 11929:2010 standard provides approximate solutions only, assuming (non-truncated) Gaussian distributions, and it applies the GUM (BIPM et al 2008). It has been pointed out in Kirkpatrick and Young (2015) that 'The result is an approximation formula that works best only for small values of the relative systematic uncertainty, for which such a modification of Currie's method is the least necessary.' For large uncertainties in the calibration parameter, the ISO 11929:2010 standard can even result in an infinite value for the minimum detectable activity, see Kirkpatrick et al (2013).…”

“…see the supplementary material (section S.1) (stacks.iop.org/ MET/54/S29/mmedia) for details of the derivation. The joint posterior for A, ρ b , and ν is then given by (7) As a prior for ν, Kirkpatrick and Young (2015) suggested the application of a Gamma distribution, abbreviated as θ Γ ν ν t , 1 ( / ), with shape parameter ν t and scale parameter θ ν 1/ , i.e.…”