Towards a sharpest interpretation of analytical results by assessing the uncertainty of PIXE/RBS data at the AGLAE facility

• Published in: Measurement (Mahwah, N.J.) Vol. 114; pp. 501 - 507
• Main Authors: Radepont, M., Lemasson, Q., Pichon, L., Moignard, B., Pacheco, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2018; Elsevier Science Ltd; Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Subjects: AGLAE facility; ANOVA; Archaeology; Cultural heritage; Cultural heritage and museology; Cultural resources; Data processing; Humanities and Social Sciences; Nuclear Experiment; Physics; PIXE; RBS; Repeatability; Reproducibility; Uncertainty; Variance analysis; Repeatability; Uncertainty; RBS; PIXE; AGLAE facility; Reproducibility; ANOVA
• ISSN: 0263-2241; 1536-6367; 1873-412X; 1536-6359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.measurement.2016.07.005

[Display omitted] •The repeatability and reproducibility of PIXE and RBS analyses are considered.•The theory of analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to calculate uncertainties.•Uncertainties concern the instrument and data processing at the AGLAE facility.•Instrument uncertainty would probably be negligible for cultural heritage objects. The advances in object analysis and data processing are a real asset in science and in particular in the cultural heritage field. However, results interpretations depend on the reliability of the information obtained on the archaeological material studied. At the AGLAE facility, a specific methodology using the theory of analysis of variance (ANOVA) was followed in order to calculate the uncertainty of the PIXE and the RBS analyses due to the machine and to the data processing. Repeatability and reproducibility of measurements are studied on three PIXE standards and one RBS standard and the corresponding uncertainties are developed. Then results of RBS analyses on cultural heritage objects are presented to illustrate the discussion.