[Physics] Error propagation with dependent variables

error analysis

Based on Microdosimetry theory, trying to figure out error propagation for a lot of quantities that are produced from radiation spectra where each channel with $f(y)$ counts has error $\sqrt{f(y)}$.

Now, I have a function called the dose-weighted lineal energy distribution:

$d(y) = \frac{yf(y)}{y_{F}} = \frac{yf(y)}{\int{yf(y)dy}}$

I have calculated the constant $y_F\pm\Delta y_F$ using the measured quantity $f(y)\pm\sqrt{f(y)}$ but how do I find the uncertainty in the $d(y)$ distribution when these quantities are not independent? Any help would be greatly appreciated : )

Note: $\Delta y \approx 0$ so this only concerns $f(y)$ and $y_F$.

Best Answer

Are you able to take multiple measurements to be able to estimate the correlations/covariance involved?

It's not really clear how exactly your channel counts enter the formula, but the "dirty solution" works everytime:

  1. Estimate the covariance matrix OR make a lot of observations of correlated counts
  2. Based on the estimated covariance matrix, randomly generate a bunch of correlated sets of counts OR just pick the multiple observations you made
  3. Plug these counts into your formula for dependent variable OR plug all the observations into the formula
  4. Study the distribution of the results (variance, histogram, etc)

The point is, that if you don't require an analytic solution for the error of dependent variable, you can always do it this way and if you have reliable covariance matrix and a lot of generated OR observed sets of counts, you also obtain whole information about distribution of results, not just variance.

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