Error Propagation#
The purpose of this document is to explain how Mantid deals with error propagation and how it is used in its algorithms.
Theory#
In order to deal with error propagation, Mantid treats errors as Gaussian probabilities (also known as a bell curve or normal probabilities) and each observation as independent. Meaning that if \(X = 100 \pm 1\) then it is still possible for a value of \(102\) to occur, but less likely than \(101\) or \(99\), and a value of \(105\) is far less likely still than any of these values.
Plus and Minus Algorithm#
The Plus v1 algorithm adds two datasets together, propagating the uncertainties. Mantid calculates the result of \(X_1 + X_2\) as
\(X = X_1 + X_2\)
with uncertainty
\(\sigma_X = \sqrt{ \left( \sigma_{X_1} \right)^2 + \left( \sigma_{X_2} \right)^2 }\).
Consider the example where \(X_1 = 101 \pm 2\) and \(X_2 = 99 \pm 2\). Then for this algorithm:
\(X = X_1 + X_2 = 101 + 99 = 200\)
\(\sigma_X = \sqrt{ 2^2 + 2^2} = \sqrt{8} = 2.8284\)
Hence the result of Plus v1 can be summarised as \(X = 200 \pm \sqrt{8}\).
Mantid deals with the Minus v1 algorithm similarly: the result of \(X_1 - X_2\) is
\(X = X_1 - X_2\)
with error
\(\sigma_X = \sqrt{ \left( \sigma_{X_1} \right)^2 + \left( \sigma_{X_2} \right)^2 }\).
Multiply and Divide Algorithm#
The Multiply v1 and Divide v1 algorithms propagate the uncertainties according to (see also here):
\(\sigma_X = \left|X\right| \sqrt{ \left( \frac{\sigma_{X_1}}{X_1} \right)^2 + \left( \frac{\sigma_{X_2}}{X_2} \right)^2 }\),
where \(X\) is the result of the multiplication, \(X = X_1 \cdot X_2\), or the division, \(X = X_1 / X_2\).
Considering the example above where \(X_1 = 101 \pm 2\) and \(X_2 = 99 \pm 2\). Mantid would calculate the result of \(X_1 / X_2\) as \(X = 101 / 99 = 1.0202\), with uncertainty \(\sigma_X = 1.0202 \sqrt{ \left(2/101\right)^2 + \left(2/99\right)^2} = 0.0288\).
For Multiply v1, the result of \(X_1 \times X_2\) is \(X = 101 \times 99 = 9999\), with uncertainty \(\sigma_X = 9999 \sqrt{ \left(2/101\right)^2 + \left(2/99\right)^2} = 282.8568\).
Category: Concepts