Learning about material integrity from statistical data
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 - 08:31
in Physics & Chemistry
Whether it protects space satellites or sequesters nuclear waste, scientists want to understand tiny features that could significantly alter how a material behaves. Locating microscopic defects can be done with powerful microscopes, but scientists want more. They want to use the microscopes to locate and understand the very molecules involved in the defects. Describing the location of the molecules and atoms in images often relies on statistics that can be inaccurate and expensive. The trick is to pick the statistical approach that accurately and economically describes the situation. Pick the wrong one, and the mathematical description won't match the microscope's image.