Searching for New Bosons at the LHC

In recent years, scientists have focused on finding new heavy particles in high-energy Collisions using advanced detectors. These heavy particles could help explain some of the mysteries in physics that current theories do not fully address. One major scientific facility working on this is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), which collides protons at very high energies. This article discusses a specific search for new charged and neutral Bosons that decay in a certain way, using Data collected from these high-energy collisions.

#The Experiment Setup

The setup for this search includes the ATLAS Detector, a large and complex instrument that can detect various particles produced during collisions. During its second operational period, known as Run 2, the LHC collected a total of 139 inverse femtobarns (fb) of data. This means the LHC compiled a vast number of events from proton-proton collisions at an energy level of 13 trillion electron volts (TeV).

#Why Look for Bosons?

In particle physics, bosons are a type of particle that can carry forces. Some theories suggest that there could be new types of bosons beyond the well-known ones like the Higgs boson. These new bosons might help physicists understand interactions and forces in new ways. The search focuses on bosons that decay into specific particle types, which are more manageable to detect among the chaos of collision events.

#Mass Range of Interest

The study covers a mass range for these potential new particles from 1.0 TeV to 6.8 TeV. At these high masses, scientists target the decays of hadronic bosons because they easily produce detectable decay products due to their high energy. To recognize the particles produced in these decays, researchers use specific techniques aimed at collecting and analyzing data more effectively.

#Data Analysis Techniques

To analyze the data, scientists look for signs of new bosons in the patterns of decay products. They apply advanced techniques, such as boosted-boson tagging, to improve the chances of finding these elusive particles. This involves identifying decay products that are highly collimated, meaning they are closely packed in space, allowing researchers to better distinguish them from other background noise generated in collisions.

#Result of the Searches

Despite thorough searching, no evidence of new bosons was found above the expected background levels from known physics. Researchers calculated limits on how frequently these new bosons could be produced, which helps refine their understanding of the properties these hypothetical particles would exhibit. They compared their measurements against various theoretical expectations from different production models.

#What is Next?

Looking ahead, scientists continue to gather more data and refine their analysis techniques. The hope is that with enough data, they will eventually uncover evidence of these new particles. The collider and its detectors are constantly being improved to allow for deeper and more effective searches in the future.

#The Role of the ATLAS Detector

The ATLAS detector is essential for these experiments. It is designed to observe a wide variety of particles produced during collisions. Its structure allows it to capture information about both charged and neutral particles effectively. As protons collide at high speeds, a plethora of particles come into existence, and the ATLAS detector records their properties.

#Performance of the ATLAS Detector

The ATLAS detector includes various components that work together. It employs advanced tracking systems to follow the paths of charged particles. Calorimeters measure the energy of particles, while a muon spectrometer detects heavier particles like muons. Together, these systems allow researchers to collect a comprehensive set of data on what happens during collisions.

#Data Collection Period

The data for this analysis was collected over several years. From 2015 to 2018, physicists carried out a series of experiments while the LHC was operational. During this time, they recorded events where high-energy Photons were produced, focusing particularly on how these particles interacted with other particles.

#Using Monte Carlo Simulations

To complement the experimental data, scientists use simulations to model what they expect the backgrounds to look like. This helps them distinguish actual signals from random background noise. By using Monte Carlo methods, researchers simulate possible collision events and their outcomes, providing a reference against which to compare real data.

#Photon and Jet Selection

In the analysis, researchers made certain choices about which particles to focus on. They looked for events with high-energy photons and jets, which are collections of particles that emerge from the collisions. Specific criteria were set up to ensure only the most relevant events were analyzed, enhancing the overall efficiency of the search.

#Event Categorization

To refine their analysis even further, scientists categorized events based on specific properties. This categorization helps in identifying which signals are more likely to correspond to the presence of new bosons. By sorting the events into different types, they can better isolate potential signals from the expected background.

#Final Thoughts

Overall, this search for new heavy bosons using ATLAS is an ongoing effort in the field of particle physics. The lack of discovery does not deter scientists, as they continue to develop new techniques and collect data. The quest to unlock the secrets of the universe through high-energy collisions remains a priority, as researchers believe that new physics awaits just beyond the current boundaries of understanding. As technology advances, so too will the ability to probe deeper into the fundamental building blocks of matter, potentially leading to exciting new discoveries in the future.