Model bias and parameter optimisation with the example of the combination of nuclear models INCL and ABLA

Abstract The accuracy and precision of high-energy spallation models play a crucial role in the design and development of new applications and experiments, as well as in data analysis. We discuss the complementarity between parameter optimisation and model bias estimation approaches within a Bayesian framework. This is illustrated using the IntraNuclear Cascade model of Liège (INCL) together with the Ablation model (ABLA), for which these two approaches for model bias estimation have been applied independently in previous works.