title: "Exact" and approximate methods for analysis of total error in radiation measurements.
abstract: Radiation measurement results are typically stated as an estimated activity concentration with an associated 95% error bound. Very frequently, however, the error bound cited at the "95% confidence level" is nothing more than counting error and, especially at higher levels of activity, counting error may constitute a gross understatement of the total error that should reasonably be attributed to the measurement. This paper compares the measurement confidence limits obtained using a typical approximate error propagation procedure with the "exact" confidence limits. A Monte Carlo error propagation method is also considered. The results of the three methods are compared using 222Rn measurement procedures for illustrative purposes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Auburn University at Montgomery, AL 36117-3596.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chambless
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Dubose
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Sensintaffar
mesh_terms: D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011827:Radiation; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D014894:Weights and Measures
chemical_list: D011886:Radon