Bayesian priors and nuisance parameters

Abstract

Bayesian techniques are widely used to obtain spectral functions from correlators. We suggest a technique to rid the results of nuisance parameters, ie, parameters which are needed for the regularization but cannot be determined from data. We give examples where the method works, including a pion mass extraction with two flavours of staggered quarks at a lattice spacing of about 0.07 fm. We also give an example where the method does not work.