http://arxiv.org/abs/1509.01010
Searches for unknown physics and deciding between competing physical models to explain data rely on statistical hypotheses testing. A common approach, used for example in the discovery of the Brout-Englert-Higgs boson, is based on the statistical Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) and its asymptotic properties. In the common situation, when neither of the two models under comparison is a special case of the other i.e., when the hypotheses are non-nested, this test is not applicable, and so far no efficient solution exists. In physics, this problem occurs when two models that reside in different parameter spaces are to be compared. An important example is the recently reported excess emission in astrophysical $\gamma$-rays and the question whether its origin is known astrophysics or dark matter. We develop and study a new, generally applicable, frequentist method and validate its statistical properties using a suite of simulations studies. We exemplify it on realistic simulated data of the Fermi-LAT $\gamma$-ray satellite, where non-nested hypotheses testing appears in the search for particle dark matter.
S. Algeri, J. Conrad and D. Dyk
Fri, 4 Sep 15
53/58
Comments: We welcome examples of non-nested models testing problems
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