Articles | Volume 15, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1145-2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1145-2022
Research article
 | 
07 Mar 2022
Research article |  | 07 Mar 2022

Truth and uncertainty. A critical discussion of the error concept versus the uncertainty concept

Thomas von Clarmann, Steven Compernolle, and Frank Hase

Related authors

Upper tropospheric pollutants observed by MIPAS: geographic and seasonal variations
Norbert Glatthor, Gabriele P. Stiller, Thomas von Clarmann, Bernd Funke, Sylvia Kellmann, and Andrea Linden
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1793,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1793, 2024
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
IMK–IAA MIPAS retrieval version 8: CH4 and N2O
Norbert Glatthor, Thomas von Clarmann, Bernd Funke, Maya García-Comas, Udo Grabowski, Michael Höpfner, Sylvia Kellmann, Michael Kiefer, Alexandra Laeng, Andrea Linden, Manuel López-Puertas, and Gabriele P. Stiller
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2849–2871, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2849-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2849-2024, 2024
Short summary
Version 8 IMK/IAA MIPAS measurements of CFC-11, CFC-12, and HCFC-22
Gabriele P. Stiller, Thomas von Clarmann, Norbert Glatthor, Udo Grabowski, Sylvia Kellmann, Michael Kiefer, Alexandra Laeng, Andrea Linden, Bernd Funke, Maya García-Comas, and Manuel López-Puertas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1759–1789, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1759-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1759-2024, 2024
Short summary
MIPAS ozone retrieval version 8: middle-atmosphere measurements
Manuel López-Puertas, Maya García-Comas, Bernd Funke, Thomas von Clarmann, Norbert Glatthor, Udo Grabowski, Sylvia Kellmann, Michael Kiefer, Alexandra Laeng, Andrea Linden, and Gabriele P. Stiller
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5609–5645, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5609-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5609-2023, 2023
Short summary
Version 8 IMK–IAA MIPAS temperatures from 12–15 µm spectra: Middle and Upper Atmosphere modes
Maya García-Comas, Bernd Funke, Manuel López-Puertas, Norbert Glatthor, Udo Grabowski, Sylvia Kellmann, Michael Kiefer, Andrea Linden, Belén Martínez-Mondéjar, Gabriele P. Stiller, and Thomas von Clarmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5357–5386, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5357-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5357-2023, 2023
Short summary

Related subject area

Subject: Gases | Technique: Remote Sensing | Topic: Data Processing and Information Retrieval
A new method for estimating megacity NOx emissions and lifetimes from satellite observations
Steffen Beirle and Thomas Wagner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3439–3453, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3439-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3439-2024, 2024
Short summary
Accounting for the effect of aerosols in GHGSat methane retrieval
Qiurun Yu, Dylan Jervis, and Yi Huang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3347–3366, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3347-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3347-2024, 2024
Short summary
A survey of methane point source emissions from coal mines in Shanxi province of China using AHSI on board Gaofen-5B
Zhonghua He, Ling Gao, Miao Liang, and Zhao-Cheng Zeng
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2937–2956, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2937-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2937-2024, 2024
Short summary
Global retrieval of stratospheric and tropospheric BrO columns from the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite Nadir Mapper (OMPS-NM) on board the Suomi-NPP satellite
Heesung Chong, Gonzalo González Abad, Caroline R. Nowlan, Christopher Chan Miller, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Rafael P. Fernandez, Hyeong-Ahn Kwon, Zolal Ayazpour, Huiqun Wang, Amir H. Souri, Xiong Liu, Kelly Chance, Ewan O'Sullivan, Jhoon Kim, Ja-Ho Koo, William R. Simpson, François Hendrick, Richard Querel, Glen Jaross, Colin Seftor, and Raid M. Suleiman
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2873–2916, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2873-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2873-2024, 2024
Short summary
IMK–IAA MIPAS retrieval version 8: CH4 and N2O
Norbert Glatthor, Thomas von Clarmann, Bernd Funke, Maya García-Comas, Udo Grabowski, Michael Höpfner, Sylvia Kellmann, Michael Kiefer, Alexandra Laeng, Andrea Linden, Manuel López-Puertas, and Gabriele P. Stiller
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2849–2871, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2849-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2849-2024, 2024
Short summary

Cited articles

Bayes, T.: An essay towards solving a problem in the doctrine of chances, Phil. Trans., 53, 370–418, https://doi.org/10.1098/rstl.1763.0053, 1763. a
Bich, W.: From Errors to Probability Density Functions. Evolution of the Concept of Measurement Uncertainty, IEEE T. Instrum. Meas., 61, 2153–2159, https://doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2012.2193696, 2012. a, b, c
Bridgman, P. W.: The Logic of Modern Physics, Macmillan, New York, OCoLC 609483443, 1927. a
Bureau International des Poids et Mésures: Report on the BIPM enquiry on error statements, Tech. Rep. BIPM-80/3, Bureau International des Poids et Mésures, F-92310, https://www.bipm.org/en/publications/rapports-bipm-pre-1990 (last access: 1 March 2022), 1980.​​​​​​​ a
Chang, H.: Operationalism, in: The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by: Zalta, E. N., Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, Winter 2019 edn., https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2019/entries/operationalism/ (last access: 28 February 2022), 2019. a
Download
Short summary
Contrary to the claims put forward in Evaluation of measurement data – Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement issued by the JCGM, the error concept and the uncertainty concept are the same. Arguments in favor of the contrary were found not to be compelling. Neither was any evidence presented that errors and uncertainties define a different relation between the measured and true values, nor is a Bayesian concept beyond the mere subjective probability referred to.