NUK - logo
E-viri
Recenzirano Odprti dostop
  • Survival analysis approach ...
    Coakley, K.J.; Dewey, M.S.; Huber, M.G.; Huffer, C.R.; Huffman, P.R.; Marley, D.E.; Mumm, H.P.; O׳Shaughnessy, C.M.; Schelhammer, K.W.; Thompson, A.K.; Yue, A.T.

    Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment, 03/2016, Letnik: 813, Številka: C
    Journal Article

    In experiments that measure the lifetime of trapped particles, in addition to loss mechanisms with exponential survival probability functions, particles can be lost by mechanisms with non-exponential survival probability functions. Failure to account for such loss mechanisms produces systematic measurement error and associated systematic uncertainties in these measurements. In this work, we develop a general competing risks survival analysis method to account for the joint effect of loss mechanisms with either exponential or non-exponential survival probability functions, and a method to quantify the size of systematic effects and associated uncertainties for lifetime estimates. As a case study, we apply our survival analysis formalism and method to the Ultra Cold Neutron lifetime experiment at NIST. In this experiment, neutrons can escape a magnetic trap before they decay due to a wall loss mechanism with an associated non-exponential survival probability function.