Statistical and systematical errors in analyses of separate experimental data sets in high energy physics

Different ways of extracting parameters of interest from combined data sets of separate experiments are investigated accounting for the systematic errors. It is shown, that the frequentist approach may yield larger $\chi^2$ values when compared to the Bayesian approach, where the systematic errors have a Gaussian distributed prior calculated in quadrature. The former leads to a better estimation of the parameters. A maximum-likelihood method, applied to different "gedanken" and real LHC data, is presented. The results allow to choose an optimal approach for obtaining the fit based model parameters.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figur

Luminosity monitors at the LHC

We study the theoretical accuracy of various methods that have been proposed to measure the luminosity of the LHC pp collider, as well as for Run II of the Tevatron p barp collider. In particular we consider methods based on (i) the total and forward elastic data, (ii) lepton-pair production and (iii) W and Z production.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, 9 figure

Search for magnetic monopoles with the MoEDAL forward trapping detector in 2.11 fb(-1) of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC

We update our previous search for trapped magnetic monopoles in LHC Run 2 using nearly six times more integrated luminosity and including additional models for the interpretation of the data. The MoEDAL forward trapping detector, comprising 222 kg of aluminium samples, was exposed to 2.11 fb(-1) of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions near the LHCb interaction point and analysed by searching for induced persistent currents after passage through a superconducting magnetometer. Magnetic charges equal to the Dirac charge or above are excluded in all samples. The results are interpreted in Drell-Yan production models for monopoles with spins 0, 1/2 and 1: in addition to standard point-like couplings, we also consider couplings with momentum-dependent form factors. The search provides the best current laboratory constraints for monopoles with magnetic charges ranging from two to five times the Dirac charge. (C) 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Soft interaction model and the LHC data

Most models for soft interactions which were proposed prior to the measurements at the LHC, are only marginally compatible with LHC data, our GLM model has the same deficiency. In this paper we investigate possible causes of the problem, by considering separate fits to the high energy ($W > 500\, GeV$), and low energy ($W < 500\, GeV$) data. Our new results are moderately higher than our previous predictions. Our results for total and elastic cross sections are systematically lower that the recent Totem and Alice published values, while our results for the inelastic and forward slope agree with the data. If with additional experimental data, the errors are reduced, while the central cross section values remain unchanged, we will need to reconsider the physics on which our model is built.Comment: 12 pp, 12 figures in .eps file

Autoencoder Implementations in the predictive coding framework

Abstract. We study the implementation and functionality of autoencoders based on the predictive coding model and the free energy framework, which have seen relatively little experimentation. This framework offers an alternative approach to constructing artificial neural networks in place of traditional backpropagation networks. The limited number of studies published on the subject indicate that the framework could provide better solutions to applications employing artificial intelligence. This work is meant to accessible to any university student wishing to gain a preliminary understanding for the concepts involved. To this end we provide a detailed walkthrough of the core mathematical ideas behind the implementation using Bogacz’s great tutorial as a guide. We document the implementation process of two autoencoders that learn to recreate handwritten digits from the MNIST dataset in an unsupervised learning scenario. Both of these implementations utilize fully connected layers and are tasked with encoding and decoding of handwritten digits from the MNIST dataset. We analyze graphs of the different variable values and compare the final images produced by the autoencoder to the original ones. The first implementation is an attempt at constructing an original network and serves as an example of how error sensitive the construction of these networks from the ground up can be. We study the applicability of the theory of predictive coding in practice and diagnose the issues that we encounter. In particular, we showcase problems relating to the update of variances within the network and general difficulties in achieving convergence for all nodes in the network. The second implementation is built on top of a predictive coding library built by B. Millidge and A. Tschantz and showcases the potential of predictive coding model as a basis for a functional autoencoder. We partially replicate the results obtained by Millidge to establish a baseline for the network’s performance. Furthermore, we study the effects of tuning different aspects of these networks to better understand the function of these types of networks. These aspects include the network depth, number of nodes per layer and activation functions. Subjective evaluation on the effects of these modifications is conducted. Our findings regarding the second implementation indicate that the most important factor in determining final image quality and classification capability is the width of the code layer of the autoencoder. Our experiments using different activation functions do not reveal significant performance gains for any of the functions used. Lastly, we look at the effects of deepening the network but find equal or worse performance when compared to shallow networks

High resolution pixel detectors for e+e- linear colliders

The physics goals at the future e+e- linear collider require high performance vertexing and impact parameter resolution. Two possible technologies for the vertex detector of an experimental apparatus are outlined in the paper: an evolution of the Hybrid Pixel Sensors already used in high energy physics experiments and a new detector concept based on the monolithic CMOS sensors.Comment: 8 pages, to appear on the Proceedings of the International Workshop on Linear Colliders LCWS99, Sitges (Spain), April 28 - May 5, 199

Search for a low-mass neutral Higgs boson with suppressed couplings to fermions using events with multiphoton final states

A search for a Higgs boson with suppressed couplings to fermions, h(f), assumed to be the neutral, lower-mass partner of the Higgs boson discovered at the Large Hadron Collider, is reported. Such a Higgs boson could exist in extensions of the standard model with two Higgs doublets, and could be produced via p (p) over bar -> H(+/-)h(f) -> W*h(f)h(f) -> 4 gamma + X where H (+/-) is a charged Higgs boson. This analysis uses all events withat least three photons in the final state from proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.2 fb(-1). No evidence of a signal is observed in the data. Values of Higgs-boson masses between 10 and 100 GeV/c(2) are excluded at 95% Bayesian credibility.Peer reviewe

Combination of Tevatron searches for the standard model Higgs boson in the W+W- decay mode

Report number: FERMILAB-PUB-10-017-EWe combine searches by the CDF and D0 collaborations for a Higgs boson decaying to W+W-. The data correspond to an integrated total luminosity of 4.8 (CDF) and 5.4 (D0) fb-1 of p-pbar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. No excess is observed above background expectation, and resulting limits on Higgs boson production exclude a standard-model Higgs boson in the mass range 162-166 GeV at the 95% C.L.We combine searches by the CDF and D0 Collaborations for a Higgs boson decaying to W+W-. The data correspond to an integrated total luminosity of 4.8 (CDF) and 5.4 (D0) fb-1 of pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. No excess is observed above background expectation, and resulting limits on Higgs boson production exclude a standard model Higgs boson in the mass range 162–166 GeV at the 95% C.L.Peer reviewe