Development of Multivariate Data Visualisation Software and Searches for Lepton Jets at CMS

  • Benjamin Radburn-Smith

Student thesis: Phd

Abstract

Despite advances in multivariate visualisations and computer graphics, allowing for effective implementations, most particle physics analyses still rely on conventional data visualisations. The currently available software implementing these techniques has been found to be inadequate for use with the large volume of multivariate data produced from modern particle physics experiments. After a design and development period, a novel piece of software, DataViewer, was produced.DataViewer was used as part of a physics analysis at the CMS experiment, searching for an associated Higgs decaying through a dark sector into collimated groups of electrons, called Electron Jets. Observation of such a signature could explain astrophysical anomalies found by numerous telescopes. The full 2011 dataset, equivalent to an integrated luminosity of 4.83 fb^(-1) at a centre of mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, recorded by the experiment was analysed.DataViewer was found to be extremely powerful in rapidly identifying interesting attributes of the signature which could then be exploited in the analysis. Additionally it could be used for cross checking other complex techniques, including multivariate classifiers. No evidence was found for the production of a Higgs boson in association with a Z boson, where the Higgs subsequently decays to Electron Jets. Upper limits on the production of benchmark models were set at the 95% Confidence Level.
Date of Award1 Aug 2014
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • The University of Manchester
SupervisorStephen Watts (Supervisor)

Keywords

  • LHC
  • CMS
  • Data Visualisation
  • Lepton Jets

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