Maurice G Cox and Bernd R L Siebert 2006 Metrologia 43 S178 doi:10.1088/0026-1394/43/4/S03
Maurice G Cox1 and Bernd R L Siebert2
Show affiliationsThe Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) is the internationally accepted master document for the evaluation of uncertainty. It contains a procedure that is suitable for many, but not all, uncertainty evaluation problems met in practice. This procedure constitutes an approximation to the general solution of the Markov formula, which infers the probability density function (PDF) for the output quantities (measurands) from the model of the measurement and the PDFs for the input quantities. This paper shows that a Monte Carlo method is an effective and versatile tool for determining the PDF for the measurands. This method provides a consistent Bayesian approach to the evaluation of uncertainty. Although in principle straightforward, some care is required in representing and validating the results obtained using the method. The paper provides guidance on optimizing the approach, identifies some pitfalls and indicates means for validating the results.
Issue 4 (August 2006)
Received 18 May 2006
Published 4 August 2006
Maurice G Cox and Bernd R L Siebert 2006 Metrologia 43 S178
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