arXiv subjects

Monica Dunford

Publications and source records attributed to Monica Dunford.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Theoretical and phenomenological aspects of the Electroweak physics WG studies for the 2026 ESPPU Physics Briefing Book

The 2025-2026 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics placed renewed emphasis on quantitatively robust comparisons between future collider projects. Within this context, the Electroweak physics working group of the Physics Preparatory Group (PPG EW WG) carried out a comprehensive assessment of the projected sensitivities of different facilities to Higgs boson, electroweak and top-quark observables, with particular attention on different scenarios of theoretical uncertainties. These studies are summarized in the Physics Briefing Book. The aim of this document is to (a) provide a more detailed account of the evaluation of theoretical uncertainties, which was undertaken within the PPG EW WG, and (b) document the collider-specific inputs used in the electroweak and Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT) fits and discuss any needed modifications in order to harmonize assumptions between projects. In presenting the detailed theoretical uncertainty treatment and the explicit collider inputs and assumptions, this work aims to improve the reproducibility and future extensibility of the results presented in the Physics Briefing Book.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Physics Prospects for a near-term Proton-Proton Collider

Hadron colliders at the energy frontier offer significant discovery potential through precise measurements of Standard Model processes and direct searches for new particles and interactions. A future hadron collider would enhance the exploration of particle physics at the electroweak scale and beyond, potentially uniting the community around a common project. The LHC has already demonstrated precision measurement and new physics search capabilities well beyond its original design goals and the HL-LHC will continue to usher in new advancements. This document highlights the physics potential of an FCC-hh machine to directly follow the HL-LHC. In order to reduce the timeline and costs, the physics impact of lower collider energies, down to $\sim 50$~TeV, is evaluated. Lower centre-of-mass energy could leverage advanced magnet technology to reduce both the cost and time to the next hadron collider. Such a machine offers a breadth of physics potential and would make key advancements in Higgs measurements, direct particle production searches, and high-energy tests of Standard Model processes. Most projected results from such a hadron-hadron collider are superior to or competitive with other proposed accelerator projects and this option offers unparalleled physics breadth. The FCC program should lay out a decision-making process that evaluates in detail options for proceeding directly to a hadron collider, including the possibility of reducing energy targets and staging the magnet installation to spread out the cost profile.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Physics Briefing Book: Input for the 2026 update of the European Strategy for Particle Physics

The European Strategy for Particle Physics (ESPP) reflects the vision and presents concrete plans of the European particle physics community for advancing human knowledge in fundamental physics. The ESPP is updated every five-to-six years through a community-driven process. It commences with the submission of specific proposals and other input from the community at large, outlining projects envisioned for the near-, mid-, and long-term future. All submitted contributions are evaluated by the Physics Preparatory Group (PPG), and a preliminary analysis is presented at a Symposium meant to foster a broad community discussion on the scientific value and feasibility of the various ideas proposed. The outcomes of the analysis and the deliberations at the Symposium are synthesized in the current Briefing Book, which provides an important input in the deliberations of the Strategy recommendations by the European Strategy Group (ESG).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

Event-by-event Comparison between Machine-Learning- and Transfer-Matrix-based Unfolding Methods

The unfolding of detector effects is a key aspect of comparing experimental data with theoretical predictions. In recent years, different Machine-Learning methods have been developed to provide novel features, e.g. high dimensionality or a probabilistic single-event unfolding based on generative neural networks. Traditionally, many analyses unfold detector effects using transfer-matrix--based algorithms, which are well established in low-dimensional unfolding. They yield an unfolded distribution of the total spectrum, together with its covariance matrix. This paper proposes a method to obtain probabilistic single-event unfolded distributions, together with their uncertainties and correlations, for the transfer-matrix--based unfolding. The algorithm is first validated on a toy model and then applied to pseudo-data for the $pp\rightarrow Zγγ$ process. In both examples the performance is compared to the Machine-Learning--based single-event unfolding using an iterative approach with conditional invertible neural networks (IcINN).

physics.data-an↗

arXiv2024

An unfolding method based on conditional Invertible Neural Networks (cINN) using iterative training

The unfolding of detector effects is crucial for the comparison of data to theory predictions. While traditional methods are limited to representing the data in a low number of dimensions, machine learning has enabled new unfolding techniques while retaining the full dimensionality. Generative networks like invertible neural networks~(INN) enable a probabilistic unfolding, which map individual events to their corresponding unfolded probability distribution. The accuracy of such methods is however limited by how well simulated training samples model the actual data that is unfolded. We introduce the iterative conditional INN~(IcINN) for unfolding that adjusts for deviations between simulated training samples and data. The IcINN unfolding is first validated on toy data and then applied to pseudo-data for the $pp \to Z γγ$ process.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

50 Years of Quantum Chromodynamics

This paper presents a comprehensive review of both the theory and experimental successes of Quantum Chromodynamics, starting with its emergence as a well defined theory in 1972-73 and following developments and results up to the present day. Topics include a review of the earliest theoretical and experimental foundations; the fundamental constants of QCD; an introductory discussion of lattice QCD, the only known method for obtaining exact predictions from QCD; methods for approximating QCD, with special focus on effective field theories; QCD under extreme conditions; measurements and predictions of meson and baryon states; a special discussion of the structure of the nucleon; techniques for study of QCD at high energy, including treatment of jets and showers; measurements at colliders; weak decays and quark mixing; and a section on the future, which discusses new experimental facilities or upgrades currently funded. The paper is intended to provide a broad background for Ph.D. students and postdocs starting their career. Some contributions include personal accounts of how the ideas or experiments were developed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Review of single vector boson production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV

This review summarises the main results on the production of single vector bosons in the Standard Model, both inclusively and in association with light and heavy flavour jets, at the Large Hadron Collider in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The general purpose detectors at this collider, ATLAS and CMS, each recorded an integrated luminosity of $\approx 40\,{\rm pb^{-1}}$ and $5\,{\rm fb^{-1}}$ in the years 2010 and 2011, respectively. The corresponding data offer the unique possibility to precisely study the properties of the production of heavy vector bosons in a new energy regime. The accurate understanding of the Standard Model is not only crucial for searches of unknown particles and phenomena but also to test predictions of perturbative Quantum-Chromo-Dynamics calculations and for precision measurements of observables in the electroweak sector. Results from a variety of measurements in which single W or Z bosons are identified are reviewed. Special emphasis in this review is given to interpretations of the experimental results in the context of state-of-the-art predictions.

hep-ex↗