Kasieczka, G. et al, & Sanz, V. (2021). The LHC Olympics 2020: a community challenge for anomaly detection in high energy physics. Rep. Prog. Phys., 84(12), 124201–64pp.
Abstract: A new paradigm for data-driven, model-agnostic new physics searches at colliders is emerging, and aims to leverage recent breakthroughs in anomaly detection and machine learning. In order to develop and benchmark new anomaly detection methods within this framework, it is essential to have standard datasets. To this end, we have created the LHC Olympics 2020, a community challenge accompanied by a set of simulated collider events. Participants in these Olympics have developed their methods using an R&D dataset and then tested them on black boxes: datasets with an unknown anomaly (or not). Methods made use of modern machine learning tools and were based on unsupervised learning (autoencoders, generative adversarial networks, normalizing flows), weakly supervised learning, and semi-supervised learning. This paper will review the LHC Olympics 2020 challenge, including an overview of the competition, a description of methods deployed in the competition, lessons learned from the experience, and implications for data analyses with future datasets as well as future colliders.
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Nada, A., & Ramos, A. (2021). An analysis of systematic effects in finite size scaling studies using the gradient flow. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 1–19pp.
Abstract: We propose a new strategy for the determination of the step scaling function sigma (u) in finite size scaling studies using the gradient flow. In this approach the determination of sigma (u) is broken in two pieces: a change of the flow time at fixed physical size, and a change of the size of the system at fixed flow time. Using both perturbative arguments and a set of simulations in the pure gauge theory we show that this approach leads to a better control over the continuum extrapolations. Following this new proposal we determine the running coupling at high energies in the pure gauge theory and re-examine the determination of the Lambda -parameter, with special care on the perturbative truncation uncertainties.
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Coloma, P., Huber, P., & Schwetz, T. (2021). Statistical interpretation of sterile neutrino oscillation searches at reactors. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 2–13pp.
Abstract: A considerable experimental effort is currently under way to test the persistent hints for oscillations due to an eV-scale sterile neutrino in the data of various reactor neutrino experiments. The assessment of the statistical significance of these hints is usually based on Wilks' theorem, whereby the assumption is made that the log-likelihood is chi 2-distributed. However, it is well known that the preconditions for the validity of Wilks' theorem are not fulfilled for neutrino oscillation experiments. In this work we derive a simple asymptotic form of the actual distribution of the log-likelihood based on reinterpreting the problem as fitting white Gaussian noise. From this formalism we show that, even in the absence of a sterile neutrino, the expectation value for the maximum likelihood estimate of the mixing angle remains non-zero with attendant large values of the log-likelihood. Our analytical results are then confirmed by numerical simulations of a toy reactor experiment. Finally, we apply this framework to the data of the Neutrino-4 experiment and show that the null hypothesis of no-oscillation is rejected at the 2.6 sigma level, compared to 3.2 sigma obtained under the assumption that Wilks' theorem applies.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Aparisi Pozo, J. A., Bailey, A. J., Cabrera Urban, S., Cardillo, F., Castillo, F. L., et al. (2021). Search for phenomena beyond the Standard Model in events with large b-jet multiplicity using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 11–29pp.
Abstract: A search is presented for new phenomena in events characterised by high jet multiplicity, no leptons (electrons or muons), and four or more jets originating from the fragmentation of b-quarks (b-jets). The search uses 139fb(-1)of s root = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider during Run 2. The dominant Standard Model background originates from multijet production and is estimated using a data-driven technique based on an extrapolation from events with low b-jet multiplicity to the high b-jet multiplicities used in the search. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed and 95% confidence-level limits that constrain simplified models of R-parity-violating supersymmetry are determined. The exclusion limits reach 950 GeV in top-squark mass in the models considered.
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Bruschini, R., & Gonzalez, P. (2021). Strong decays of the lowest bottomonium hybrid within an extended Born-Oppenheimer framework. Eur. Phys. J. C, 81(1), 74–9pp.
Abstract: We analyze the decays of the theoretically predicted lowest bottomonium hybrid H(1P) to open bottom two-meson states. We do it by embedding a quark pair creation model into the Born-Oppenheimer framework which allows for a unified, QCD-motivated description of bottomonium hybrids as well as bottomonium. A new 1P1 decay model for H(1P) comes out. The same analysis applied to bottomonium leads naturally to the well-known 3 P0 decay model. We show that H(1P) and the theoretically predicted bottomonium state Upsilon (5S), whose calculated masses are close to each other, have very different widths for such decays. A comparison with data from Upsilon (10860), an experimental resonance whose mass is similar to that of Upsilon (5S) and H(1P), is carried out. Neither a Upsilon (5S) nor a H(1P) assignment can explain the measured decay widths. However, a Upsilon (5S)-H(1P) mixing may give account of them supporting previous analyses of dipion decays of Upsilon (10860) and suggesting a possible experimental evidence of H(1P).
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