LBV's and Statistical Inference


Kris Davidson(1), Roberta M. Humphreys(1), and
Kerstin Weis(2)

1. University of Minnesota, 2. Astronomical Institute, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Germany

Smith & Tomlinson (2015) asserted that statistical tests disprove the standard view of LBVs, and proposed a complex alternative scenario. But Humphreys et al.(2016) showed
that ST's test samples were mixtures of disparate classes of stars, and genuine LBVs statistically agree with with the standard view. Smith(2016) objected at great length to this result. Here we explain why each of his criticisms is incorrect. We also comment on related claims made by Smith & Stassun(2016). This topic illustrates the dangers of uncareful statistical sampling and of unstated assumptions.

Reference: Submitted
Status: Manuscript has been submitted

Weblink: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016arXiv160802007D

Comments:

Email: kd@astro.umn.edu