Evaluation of systematic errors affecting measurements of radial distributions of particles or subcores about air shower axes

In many cosmic ray experiments it is desired to measure the distribution of hadrons, muons, gamma-rays or subcores about air shower axes with as much accuracy as possible. Account must be taken of systematic errors, usually arising from uncertainty in the axis position, coupled with rather steep radial distributions. This paper describes some techniques which may be used, together with simplifying assumptions, to estimate these errors in cases where a complete simulation of the detector array response is felt to be either unnecessary or not possible