Bayesian Methods for the Physical Sciences

Statistical literacy is critical for the modern researcher in Physics and Astronomy. This book empowers researchers in these disciplines by providing the tools they will need to analyze their own data. The process of doing these analyses assists directly in making new scientific discoveries. Chapters in this book provide a statistical base from which to approach new problems, including numerical advice and a profusion of examples. These examples are engaging analyses of real-world problems taken from modern astronomical research. The examples are intended to be starting points for readers as they learn to approach their own data and research questions. The JAGS symbolic language used throughout the book makes it easy to perform Bayesian analysis and is particularly valuable as readers may use it in a myriad of scenarios through slight modifications. Acknowledging that scientific progress now hinges on the availability of data and the possibility to improve previous analyses, data and code are distributed throughout the book. Chapters progress from an introduction and a taste of theory to evaluation of data and the fitting of models to that data. After a careful study of this book, the researcher will have the ability to approach their own analysis with confidence.§