What's anomalous in LHC jets?

SciPost Physics, vol. 15

Abstract

Searches for anomalies are a significant motivation for the LHC and help define key analysis steps, including triggers. We discuss specific examples how LHC anomalies can be defined through probability density estimates, evaluated in a physics space or in an appropriate neural network latent space, and discuss the model-dependence in choosing an appropriate data parameterisation. We illustrate this for classical k-means clustering, a Dirichlet variational autoencoder, and invertible neural networks. For two especially challenging scenarios of jets from a dark sector we evaluate the strengths and limitations of each method.

Authors 8

1. Thorsten Buss

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Heidelberg University

2. Barry M. Dillon

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Heidelberg University

3. Thorben Finke Aachen Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

   Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, Germany

4. M. Krämer Aachen Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

   Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, Germany

5. Alessandro Morandini Aachen Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

   Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, Germany

6. Alexander Mück Aachen Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

   Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, Germany

7. Ivan Oleksiyuk Aachen Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen University

   Institute for Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology (TTK), RWTH Aachen University, Germany

8. Tilman Plehn

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Heidelberg University