A recipe for EFT uncertainty quantification in nuclear physics. (5th February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Furnstahl, R J; Phillips, D R; Wesolowski, S
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 42:Number 3(2015:Mar.)
• Publication Date: 2015-02-05
• Subjects: uncertainty quantification -- nuclear structure and reactions -- effective field theory; Nuclear physics -- Periodicals; Particles (Nuclear physics) -- Periodicals; Physique nucléaire -- Périodiques; Particules (Physique nucléaire) -- Périodiques; Kernfysica; Elementaire deeltjes; 539.7
• DOI: 10.1088/0954-3899/42/3/034028
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-3899

Abstract

Abstract: The application of effective field theory (EFT) methods to nuclear systems provides the opportunity to rigorously estimate the uncertainties originating in the nuclear Hamiltonian. Yet this is just one source of uncertainty in the observables predicted by calculations based on nuclear EFTs. We discuss the goals of uncertainty quantification in such calculations and outline a recipe to obtain statistically meaningful error bars for their predictions. We argue that the different sources of theory error can be accounted for within a Bayesian framework, as we illustrate using a toy model.