Statistical Challenges in Modern Astronomy, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1992

Modern astronomy has been characterized by an enormous growth in data acquisition - from new technologies in telescopes, detectors, and computation. One can now compile catalogs of tens or hundreds of millions of stars or galaxies and databases from satellite-based observations are reaching terabit proportions. This wealth of data gives rise to statistical challenges not previously encountered in astronomy. This book is the result of a workshop held at Pennsylvania State University in August 1991 that brought together leading astronomers and statisticians to consider statistical challenges encountered in modern astronomical research. The chapters have all been thoroughly revised in the light of the discussions at the conference, and some of the lively discussion is recorded here as well.

Galaxy Clustering.- 1 Surveys of Galaxy Redshifts.- 2 Some Statistical Problems in Cosmology.- Discussion by Suketu P. Bhavsar.- Discussion by Fred L. Bookstein.- 3 Analysis of Patterns in Galaxy Clustering.- Discussion by Fred L. Bookstein.- Discussion by N.K. Bose.- 4 Statistical Issues Concerning Quasar Absorption Line Systems.- Discussion by B.D. Ripley.- Discussion by Kathryn Roeder.- 5 Assessment of Subclustering in Clusters of Galaxies.- Discussion by J.A. Hartigan.- Discussion by Pranab K. Sen.- 6 Limitations to the Method of Power Spectrum Analysis: Nonstationarity. Biased Estimators, and Weak Convergence to Normality..- Discussion by Timothy C. Beers.- Discussion by Pranab K. Sen.- Response by William I. Newman et al..- 7 General Discussion: Galaxy Clustering.- Truncation and Censoring.- 8 Luminosity Function of Flux-Limited Samples.- Discussion by Michael G. Akritas.- Discussion by Michael Woodroofe.- 9 Eddington-Malmquist Bias, Streaming Motions, and the Distribution of Galaxies.- Discussion by Michael Woodroofe.- 10 Censoring in Astronomical Data Due to Nondetections.- Discussion by P.J. Bickel and Y. Ritov.- Discussion by Walter Liggett.- 11 Detecting and Measuring Sources at the Noise Limit.- Discussion by Leon Jay Gleser.- Discussion by Terry Speed.- Response by Herman L. Marshall.- Bayesian and Image Analysis.- 12 Promise of Bayesian Inference for Astrophysics.- Discussion by Gutti Jogesh Babu.- Discussion by Mike West.- Response by Thomas J. Loredo.- 13 Source Existence and Parameter Fitting When Few Counts Are Available.- Discussion by P.J. Bickel.- Discussion by Mike W’est.- 14 Bayesian Methods of Deconvolution and Shape Classification.- Discussion by Fionn Murtagh.- Discussion by Nicholas Weir.- Time Series Analysis.- 15 Aperiodic Time Series inAstronomy.- 16 Quasiperiodic Phenomena in Accreting Binary Stars.- Discussion by Walter Liggett.- 17 Search for Periodicities in High-Energy Gamma-Ray Astronomical Data.- Discussion by Keith Ord.- Discussion by T. Subba Rao.- 18 Chaotic Processes in Astronomical Data.- Discussion by Gary S. Shea.- Discussion by Terry Speed.- Response by Jeffrey D. Scargle.- 19 General Discussion: Time Series.- Multivariate Analysis and Other Topics.- 20 Multivariate Analysis and Classification of Large Astronomical Databases.- Discussion by R. Gnanadesikan.- Discussion by J.A. Hartigan.- Response by Fionn Murtagh.- 21 Physical Statistics.- Discussion by Leon Jay Gleser.- Discussion by Terry Speed.- 22 General Discussion: Working on the Interface Between Statistics and Astronomy.- List of Contributed Papers.