Workshop on Estimating Uncertainties for Radiochemical
Analyses
Measurement needs in the radiobioassay, environmental
remediation, waste management, safeguards, ocean studies, and
geochemical/physical studies specialities have become increasingly demanding
and are pushing the limits of detection for current ionizing radiation
detectors. For these studies, it is
equally important to make determination of values and their uncertainties. Determination of measurement uncertainties
provides the statement of confidence in the measurement and frames the bounds
to which the results can be interpreted.
At this time, there is increasing demand for clarity and consistency in
determination of uncertainties. The
purposes of the workshop include a) development of examples of measurement
models, uncertainty budget, equation to combine uncertainty items, expanded
uncertainty consistent with ISO and NIST guidelines; and b) establishment of
consistent protocol for estimating combined uncertainties. The discussions will focuse on the concepts
presented in the NIST Technical Publication 1297 and the Guide to Uncertainties
in Measurement (http//physics.nist.gov/cuu/Uncertainty/index.html and http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/guidelines/contents.html). Discussion topics will include vocabulary,
measurement model, standard uncertainties, combined uncertainties, correlated
uncertainty components, uncertainty statement, and law of propagation of uncertainty.
Contact: Kenneth G.W. Inn (301-975-5541; kenneth.inn@nist.gov)