estimate_patristic_distance_between

estimate_patristic_distance_between(first: Union[HereditaryStratigraphicColumn, HereditaryStratigraphicSpecimen], second: Union[HereditaryStratigraphicColumn, HereditaryStratigraphicSpecimen], estimator: str, prior: Literal['arbitrary', 'uniform'] | PriorBase) → float | None

Estimate the total phylogenetic distance along the branch path connecting the columns.

Branch length here is in terms of number of generations elapsed. So the calculated distance estimates the sum of the number of generations elapsed from each to their most recent common ancestor.

Parameters

estimator{“maximum_likelihood”, “unbiased”}

What estimation method should be used? Options are “maximum_likelihood” or “unbiased”.

See estimate_ranks_since_mrca_with for discussion of estimator options.

prior{“arbitrary”, “uniform”} or object implementing prior interface

Prior probability density distribution over possible generations of the MRCA.

See estimate_rank_of_mrca_between for discussion of prior options.

Returns

float, optional

Estimate of patristic distance, unless first and second definitively share no common ancestor in which case None will be returned.

See Also

calc_patristic_distance_bounds_between :

Calculates confidence intervals for patristic distance between two hereditary stratigraphic columns.

does_definitively_have_no_common_anestor :

Does the hereditary stratigraphic record definitively prove that first and second could not possibly share a common ancestor?