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arXiv · 1108.4270

Reference analysis of the signal + background model in counting experiments

Diego Casadei
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Abstract

The model representing two independent Poisson processes, labelled as "signal" and "background" and both contributing at the same time to the total number of counted events, is considered from a Bayesian point of view. This is a widely used model for the searches of rare or exotic events in presence of some background source, as for example in the searches performed by the high-energy physics experiments. In the assumption of some prior knowledge about the background yield, a reference prior is obtained for the signal alone and its properties are studied. Finally, the properties of the full solution, the marginal reference posterior, are illustrated with few examples.

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Diego Casadei. 2011-12-14. Reference analysis of the signal + background model in counting experiments. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-0221/7/01/p01012

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