Track reconstruction in the LHC experiments

This paper is an overview of track reconstruction strategies and algorithms in the four LHC experiments. Similarities and differences between the experiments are highlighted, and a description of the strategies of each individual experiment is given. The emphasis is on algorithms analyzing data from main tracking systems, software technicalities and tracking in muon systems are briefly mentioned also. Finally, some examples of recent algorithmic developments implemented in the LHC experiments are given.

Reconstruction of electrons with the Gaussian-sum filter in the CMS tracker at LHC

The bremsstrahlung energy loss distribution of electrons propagating in matter is highly non Gaussian. Because the Kalman filter relies solely on Gaussian probability density functions, it might not be an optimal reconstruction algorithm for electron tracks. A Gaussian-sum filter (GSF) algorithm for electron track reconstruction in the CMS tracker has therefore been developed. The basic idea is to model the bremsstrahlung energy loss distribution by a Gaussian mixture rather than a single Gaussian. It is shown that the GSF is able to improve the momentum resolution of electrons compared to the standard Kalman filter. The momentum resolution and the quality of the estimated error are studied with various types of mixture models of the energy loss distribution.Comment: Talk from the 2003 Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (CHEP03), La Jolla, Ca, USA, March 2003, LaTeX, 14 eps figures. PSN TULT00

Transport of covariance matrices in the inhomogeneous magnetic field of the ATLAS experiment by the application of a semi-analytical method

In this paper we study the transport of track parameter covariance matrices - the so-called error propagation - in the inhomogeneous magnetic field of the ATLAS experiment. The Jacobian elements are transported in parallel with the track parameters, avoiding the inherent need of any purely numerical scheme of propagating a set of auxiliary tracks. We evaluate the quality of the transported Jacobians by a very thorough, purely numerical approach of obtaining the same derivatives, providing a quantitative understanding of the effects of including gradients of energy loss and the magnetic field on the accuracy of the error propagation. Irrespective of the accuracy of the underlying track parameter propagation, the method of parallel integration of the derivatives is demonstrated to be significantly faster than even the simplest numerical scheme. The error propagation presented in this paper is part of the simultaneous track and error propagation (STEP) algorithm of the common ATLAS tracking software

Track parameter propagation through the application of a new adaptive Runge-Kutta-Nystrom method in the ATLAS experiment

In this paper we study several fixed step and adaptive Runge-Kutta methods suitable for transporting track parameters through an inhomogeneous magnetic field. Moreover, we present a new adaptive Runge-Kutta-Nystrom method which estimates the local error of the extrapolation without introducing extra stages to the original Runge-Kutta-Nystrom method. Furthermore, these methods are compared for propagation accuracy and computing cost efficiency in the simultaneous track and error propagation (STEP) algorithm of the common ATLAS tracking software. The tests show the new adaptive Runge-Kutta-Nystrom method to be the most computing cost efficient

Treatment of energy loss and multiple scattering in the context of track parameter and covariance matrix propagation in continuous material in the ATLAS experiment

In this paper we study the energy loss, its fluctuations, and the multiple scattering of particles passing through matter, with an emphasis on muons. In addition to the well-known Bethe-Bloch and Bethe-Heitler equations describing the mean energy loss from ionization and bremsstrahlung respectively, new parameterizations of the mean energy loss of muons from the direct e+e- pair production and photonuclear interactions are presented along with new estimates of the most probable energy loss and its fluctuations in the ATLAS calorimeters. Moreover, a new adaptive Highland/Moliere approach to finding the multiple scattering angle is taken to accomodate a wide range of scatterer thicknesses. Furthermore, tests of the muon energy loss, its fluctuations, and multiple scattering are done in the ATLAS calorimeters. The material effects described in this paper are all part of the simultaneous track and error propagation (STEP) algorithm of the common ATLAS tracking software

Refitting of combined inner detector and muon spectrometer tracks from Monte Carlo samples by using the Kalman fitter and the STEP algorithm in the ATLAS experiment

In this paper we refit combined muon tracks using the Kalman fitter and the simultaneous track and error propagation (STEP) algorithm of the ATLAS tracking software. The muon tracks are simulated by GEANT4 in the full detector description, reconstructed by MUID, and refitted by the Kalman fitter in the ATLAS TrackingGeometry. The relative transverse momentum resolution of the refitted tracks is compared to the resolution of the refits done by the global chi-square track fitter, along with the resolution found by the MUID and STACO muon combination algorithms. Reconstructed invariant masses are compared in a similar way

Single hadron response measurement and calorimeter jet energy scale uncertainty with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The uncertainty on the calorimeter energy response to jets of particles is derived for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). First, the calorimeter response to single isolated charged hadrons is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo simulation using proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of sqrt(s) = 900 GeV and 7 TeV collected during 2009 and 2010. Then, using the decay of K_s and Lambda particles, the calorimeter response to specific types of particles (positively and negatively charged pions, protons, and anti-protons) is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo predictions. Finally, the jet energy scale uncertainty is determined by propagating the response uncertainty for single charged and neutral particles to jets. The response uncertainty is 2-5% for central isolated hadrons and 1-3% for the final calorimeter jet energy scale.Comment: 24 pages plus author list (36 pages total), 23 figures, 1 table, submitted to European Physical Journal

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with isolated leptons, jets and missing transverse momentum at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s√=8 TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb−1. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on supersymmetric particle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squark masses up to 840 GeV. Limits are also set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimension model, excluding a compactification radius of 1/R c = 950 GeV for a cut-off scale times radius (ΛR c) of approximately 30

Evidence for the Higgs-boson Yukawa coupling to tau leptons with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for H → τ τ decays are presented, based on the full set of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC during 2011 and 2012. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 4.5 fb−1 and 20.3 fb−1 at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV respectively. All combinations of leptonic (τ → `νν¯ with ` = e, µ) and hadronic (τ → hadrons ν) tau decays are considered. An excess of events over the expected background from other Standard Model processes is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.5 (3.4) standard deviations. This excess provides evidence for the direct coupling of the recently discovered Higgs boson to fermions. The measured signal strength, normalised to the Standard Model expectation, of µ = 1.43 +0.43 −0.37 is consistent with the predicted Yukawa coupling strength in the Standard Model

Measurements of fiducial and differential cross sections for Higgs boson production in the diphoton decay channel at s√=8 TeV with ATLAS

Measurements of fiducial and differential cross sections are presented for Higgs boson production in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=8 TeV. The analysis is performed in the H → γγ decay channel using 20.3 fb−1 of data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The signal is extracted using a fit to the diphoton invariant mass spectrum assuming that the width of the resonance is much smaller than the experimental resolution. The signal yields are corrected for the effects of detector inefficiency and resolution. The pp → H → γγ fiducial cross section is measured to be 43.2 ±9.4(stat.) − 2.9 + 3.2 (syst.) ±1.2(lumi)fb for a Higgs boson of mass 125.4GeV decaying to two isolated photons that have transverse momentum greater than 35% and 25% of the diphoton invariant mass and each with absolute pseudorapidity less than 2.37. Four additional fiducial cross sections and two cross-section limits are presented in phase space regions that test the theoretical modelling of different Higgs boson production mechanisms, or are sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model. Differential cross sections are also presented, as a function of variables related to the diphoton kinematics and the jet activity produced in the Higgs boson events. The observed spectra are statistically limited but broadly in line with the theoretical expectations