arXiv subjects

P. Owen

Publications and source records attributed to P. Owen.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

RooHammerModel: interfacing the HAMMER software tool with the HistFactory package

Recent $B$-physics results have sparkled great interest in the search for beyond-the-Standard-Model (BSM) physics in $b\to c\ell \barν$ transitions. The need to analyse in a consistent manner big datasets for these searches, using high-statistics Monte-Carlo (MC) samples, led to the development of HAMMER, a software tool which enables to perform a fast morphing of MC-derived templates to include BSM effects and/or alternative parameterisations of long-distance effects, avoiding the need to re-generate simulated samples. This paper describes the development of RooHammerModel, an interface between this tool and the commonly-used data-fitting frameworks HistFactory and RooFit. In this document, the structure and functionality of the user interface are explained. Information of a public repository where it can be accessed is provided, as well as validation and performance studies of the interface. The methods developed in the construction of RooHammerModel can provide useful information for alternative future attempts to interface HAMMER with other data-fitting frameworks.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Technical design of the phase I Mu3e experiment

The Mu3e experiment aims to find or exclude the lepton flavour violating decay $μ\rightarrow eee$ at branching fractions above $10^{-16}$. A first phase of the experiment using an existing beamline at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is designed to reach a single event sensitivity of $2\cdot 10^{-15}$. We present an overview of all aspects of the technical design and expected performance of the phase~I Mu3e detector. The high rate of up to $10^{8}$ muon decays per second and the low momenta of the decay electrons and positrons pose a unique set of challenges, which we tackle using an ultra thin tracking detector based on high-voltage monolithic active pixel sensors combined with scintillating fibres and tiles for precise timing measurements.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2015

Herschel observations of extreme OH/IR stars - the isotopic ratios of oxygen as a sign-post for the stellar mass

Aim: The late stages of stellar evolution are mainly governed by the mass of the stars. Low- and intermediate-mass stars lose copious amounts of mass during the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) which obscure the central star making it difficult to study the stellar spectra and determine the stellar mass. In this study, we present observational data that can be used to determine lower limits to the stellar mass. Method: Spectra of nine heavily reddened AGB stars taken by the Herschel Space Observatory display numerous molecular emission lines. The strongest emission lines are due to H2O. We search for the presence of isotopologues of H2O in these objects. Result: We detected the 16O and 17O isotopologues of water in these stars, but lines due to H2^{18}O are absent. The lack of 18O is predicted by a scenario where the star has undergone hot-bottom burning which preferentially destroys 18O relative to 16O and 17O. From stellar evolution calculations, this process is thought to occur when the stellar mass is above 5 Msun for solar metallicity. Hence, observations of different isotopologues of H2O can be used to help determine the lower limit to the initial stellar mass. Conclusion: From our observations, we deduce that these extreme OH/IR stars are intermediate-mass stars with masses of >= 5 Msun. Their high mass-loss rates of ~ 1.0e-4 Msun/yr may affect the enrichment of the interstellar medium and the overall chemical evolution of our Galaxy.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

Performance of the LHCb RICH detector at the LHC

The LHCb experiment has been taking data at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN since the end of 2009. One of its key detector components is the Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) system. This provides charged particle identification over a wide momentum range, from 2-100 GeV/c. The operation and control software, and online monitoring of the RICH system are described. The particle identification performance is presented, as measured using data from the LHC. Excellent separation of hadronic particle types (pion, kaon and proton) is achieved.

physics.ins-det↗