Multimodal model-independent

A second approach uses the unimodal model-independent method, which begins with the assumption that the size distribution consists of a finite number of fixed size classes. The detector response expected for this distribution is simulated, and then the weight fractions in each size class are optimized through a minimization of the sum of squared deviations from the measured and simulated detector responses. The third system uses the multimodal model-independent method. For this, diffraction patterns for known size distributions are simulated, random noise is superimposed on the patterns, and then the expected element responses for the detector configuration are calculated. The patterns are inverted by the same minimization algorithm, and these inverted patterns are compared with known distributions to check for qualitative correctness. 

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