arXiv subjects

Chris McGinn

Publications and source records attributed to Chris McGinn.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Analysis note: Long-range near-side correlation in $e^+e^-$ with $W$-boson-pair events at 183-209 GeV with ALEPH archived data

Events characterized by a high multiplicity of charged particles have been a central focus in the study of collective behavior across both large and small collision systems. A previous measurement of two-particle angular correlations in $e^+e^-$ collisions at center-of-mass energies up to $\sqrt{s} = 209$ GeV, using LEP2 data, revealed discrepancies with Monte Carlo (MC) predictions at high multiplicity, suggesting the possible emergence of long-range near-side correlations even in the simplest collision system. Unlike at lower energies, where quark-antiquark production dominates, $W^+W^-$ processes become increasingly important at multiplicities above 30. On the one hand, the observed excess in long-range correlations may reflect the more complex color-string configurations arising from $W^+W^-$ production. On the other hand, it can simply arise from the higher final-state multiplicity made possible by the increased collision energy, independent of the underlying production mechanism. To discriminate between these competing interpretations, we present a measurement of two-particle angular correlations in $e^+e^-$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 183-209$ GeV, with a focus on enhancing the contribution from $W^+W^-$ processes. The analysis uses data collected by the ALEPH detector during the LEP2 program. Correlation functions are evaluated across a broad range of pseudorapidities and full azimuth, in bins of charged-particle multiplicity. A ridge-like modulation is seen for multiplicity above 50, deviating from the MC reference. In addition, the correlation functions are further decomposed into a Fourier series, and the resulting harmonic coefficients $v_n$ are compared with predictions from the archived Monte Carlo sample. For multiplicity starting from 30, the signed $v_2$-like proxy goes from negative to positive, also deviating from the MC baseline.

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arXiv2025

Unbinned measurement of thrust in $e^+e^-$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 91.2 GeV with ALEPH archived data

The strong coupling constant ($α_{S}$) is a fundamental parameter of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of the strong force. Some of the earliest precise constraints on $α_{S}$ came from measurements of event shape observables, such as thrust ($T$), using hadronic $Z$ boson decays produced in $e^+e^-$ collisions. However, recent work has revealed discrepancies between event-shape-based extractions of $α_{S}$ and values determined using other experimental methods. This work reexamines archived $e^+e^-$ data collected at a collision energy of $\sqrt{s}=91.2$ GeV by the ALEPH detector at the Large Electron-Positron Collider. Modern machine learning techniques are used to correct for detector effects in an unbinned manner, allowing the $T$ distribution to be measured with higher granularity than previous ALEPH measurements. The new measurement reveals a small but systematic shift towards larger values of $τ=1-T$, and the potential implications of this shift for $α_{S}$ extractions are illustrated by comparing to state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. In addition, the region of $-6<\logτ<-2$, where poorly-understood non-perturbative effects are large, is compared to modern parton shower Monte Carlo simulations. This measurement provides unique new inputs for $α_{S}$ extractions and also improves constraints on phenomenological models of QCD dynamics such as parton fragmentation and hadronization.

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arXiv2025

Analysis note: measurement of thrust and track energy-energy correlator in $e^+e^-$ collisions at 91.2 GeV with DELPHI open data

Recent theoretical developments, as well as experimental measurements at hadron collisions, have renewed interest in studying event shape variables in $e^+e^-$ collisions. We present a measurement of thrust and track-based energy-energy correlator in $e^+e^-$ collisions at center-of-mass energy of 91.2 GeV, using newly released open data from the DELPHI experiment. The event shapes, measured with unprecedented resolution and precision, are compared to various Monte Carlo and analytic predictions. Leveraging DELPHI's unique detector geometry and reconstruction capabilities, the track energy-energy correlator measurement provides data with the highest angular resolution, offering critical inputs for precision tests of QCD in both collinear and back-to-back limits. This note presents the first physics analysis using DELPHI open data and establishes benchmarks necessary for future studies exploiting this legacy dataset.

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arXiv2025

Analysis note: measurement of thrust in $e^{+}e^{-}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 91 GeV with archived ALEPH data

A measurement of the thrust distribution in $e^{+}e^{-}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 91.2$ GeV with archived data from the ALEPH experiment at the Large Electron-Positron Collider is presented. The thrust distribution is reconstructed from charged and neutral particles resulting from hadronic $Z$-boson decays. For the first time with $e^{+}e^{-}$ data, detector effects are corrected using a machine learning based method for unbinned unfolding. The measurement provides new input for resolving current discrepancies between theoretical calculations and experimental determinations of $α_{s}$, constraining non-perturbative effects through logarithmic moments, developing differential hadronization models, and enabling new precision studies using the archived data.

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arXiv2025

Analysis note: measurement of energy-energy correlator in $e^{+}e^{-}$ collisions at $91$ GeV with archived ALEPH data

Electron-positron ($e^+e^-$) collisions provide a clean environment for precision tests of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) due to the absence of hadronic initial-state effects. We present a novel analysis of archived ALEPH data from the Large Electron-Positron Collider at the $Z$ pole, leveraging energy-energy correlators (EECs) to study hadronic energy flow with unprecedented precision. The two-point EEC is measured as a function of the angular separation between particles spanning from the collinear to the back-to-back limits in a remarkably differential test of perturbative and non-perturbative QCD. The results are consistent with previous LEP measurements and provide significantly improved precision and finer angular binning resolution, especially at small angles and in the back-to-back limit. Comparisons with \textsc{pythia} 6 simulations show overall agreement, with deviations in key kinematic regions offering insights into hadronization. The measurement performed here connects to new opportunities for precision QCD studies in archived and future collider data.

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arXiv2025

Measurement of the energy-energy correlator in the back-to-back limit using the archived ALEPH $e^{+}e^{-}$ data at 91.2 GeV

Recently, energy-energy correlators (EECs) have garnered renewed interest for studying hadronic collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). EEC measurements within jets provide a clear scale separation, facilitating the study of both perturbative and non-perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) in the collinear limit. These proceedings present recent EEC results from the archived ALEPH $e^{+}e^{-}$ data taken at LEP at $\sqrt{s}$ = 91.2 GeV. In $e^{+}e^{-}$ collisions, perturbative and non-perturbative QCD can be studied with EECs in both the collinear limit using jets and the back-to-back limit using all particles as well as the transition between these two regimes. Comparisons of these results to generators and future extensions of this work will also be discussed.

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arXiv2024

Analysis note: two-particle correlation in $e^+e^-$ collisions at 91-209 GeV with archived ALEPH data

The first measurement of two-particle angular correlations for charged particles produced in $e^+e^-$ annihilation up to $\sqrt{s}$ = 209 GeV is presented. Hadronic $e^+e^-$ data, archived at center-of-mass energies ranging from 91 to 209 GeV, were collected using the ALEPH detector at LEP between 1992 and 2000. The angular correlation functions have been measured across a wide range of pseudorapidities and the full azimuth in bins of charged particle multiplicity. This is the first such measurement using LEP-II data. With LEP-II data at 91 GeV, neither the beam coordinate analysis nor the thrust coordinate analysis reveals significant long-range correlations, consistent with the finding in the previous measurement with the LEP-I sample. Results for $e^+e^-$ data at energies above 91 GeV, which allow for higher event multiplicities reaching approximately 50, are presented for the first time. A long-range near-side excess in the correlation function has been identified in the thrust axis analysis. Moreover, the two-particle correlation functions were decomposed using a Fourier series, and the resulting Fourier coefficients $v_n$ were compared with event generator outputs. In events with high multiplicity, featuring more than 50 particles, the extracted $v_2$ and $v_3$ magnitudes from the data are higher than those from the Monte Carlo reference.

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