arXiv subjects

Patrick L. S. Connor

Publications and source records attributed to Patrick L. S. Connor.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

QCD in Language Models: What do they really know about QCD?

This study presents an analysis of modern open-source large language models (LLMs) -- including Llama, Qwen, and Gemma -- to evaluate their encoded knowledge of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Through reverse engineering of these models' representations, we uncover the naturally idiosyncratic patterns in how foundational QCD concepts are embedded within their parameter spaces. Our methodology combines targeted probing techniques and knowledge extraction protocols to assess the models' understanding of critical QCD principles like color confinement, asymptotic freedom, and the running coupling constant. This work provides a tool for utilizing LLMs as an assistant in physics research, while also highlighting current limitations in their representation of advanced quantum field theory concepts that future model development should address.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Fast Perfekt: Regression-based refinement of fast simulation

The availability of precise and accurate simulation is a limiting factor for interpreting and forecasting data in many fields of science and engineering. Often, one or more distinct simulation software applications are developed, each with a relative advantage in accuracy or speed. The quality of insights extracted from the data stands to increase if the accuracy of faster, more economical simulation could be improved to parity or near parity with more resource-intensive but accurate simulation. We present Fast Perfekt, a machine-learned regression that employs residual neural networks to refine the output of fast simulations. A deterministic morphing model is trained using a unique schedule that makes use of the ensemble loss function MMD, with the option of an additional pair-based loss function such as the MSE. We explore this methodology in the context of an abstract analytical model and in terms of a realistic particle physics application featuring jet properties in hadron collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The refinement makes maximum use of domain knowledge, and introduces minimal computational overhead to production.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2024

ChatQCD: Let Large Language Models Explore QCD

Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) has yielded a vast literature spanning distinct phenomena. We construct a corpus of papers and build a generative model. This model holds promise for accelerating the capability of scientists to consolidate their knowledge of QCD by the ability to generate and validate scientific works in the landscape of works related to QCD and similar problems in HEP. Furthermore, we discuss challenges and future directions of using large language models to integrate our scientific knowledge about QCD through the automated generation of explanatory scientific texts.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Determination of the strong coupling from jet measurements at CMS

A vast program of determinations of the strong coupling $α_\mathrm{S}$ is being undertaken by CMS. These measurements exploit several QCD-dominated processes that are sensitive to $α_\mathrm{S}$, and present different theoretical and experimental challenges. A review of the current public results and perspective is given.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2023

Morphological Classification of Radio Galaxies with wGAN-supported Augmentation

Machine learning techniques that perform morphological classification of astronomical sources often suffer from a scarcity of labelled training data. Here, we focus on the case of supervised deep learning models for the morphological classification of radio galaxies, which is particularly topical for the forthcoming large radio surveys. We demonstrate the use of generative models, specifically Wasserstein GANs (wGANs), to generate data for different classes of radio galaxies. Further, we study the impact of augmenting the training data with images from our wGAN on three different classification architectures. We find that this technique makes it possible to improve models for the morphological classification of radio galaxies. A simple Fully Connected Neural Network (FCN) benefits most from including generated images into the training set, with a considerable improvement of its classification accuracy. In addition, we find it is more difficult to improve complex classifiers. The classification performance of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) can be improved slightly. However, this is not the case for a Vision Transformer (ViT).

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2022

Step: a tool to perform tests of smoothness on differential distributions based on expansion of polynomials

We motivate and describe a method based on fits with polynomials to test the smoothness of differential distributions. As a demonstration, we apply the method to several measurements of inclusive jet double-differential cross section in the jet transverse momentum and rapidity at the Tevatron and LHC. This method opens new possibilities to test the quality of differential distributions used for the extraction of physics quantities such as the strong coupling.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Radio Galaxy Classification with wGAN-Supported Augmentation

Novel techniques are indispensable to process the flood of data from the new generation of radio telescopes. In particular, the classification of astronomical sources in images is challenging. Morphological classification of radio galaxies could be automated with deep learning models that require large sets of labelled training data. Here, we demonstrate the use of generative models, specifically Wasserstein GANs (wGAN), to generate artificial data for different classes of radio galaxies. Subsequently, we augment the training data with images from our wGAN. We find that a simple fully-connected neural network for classification can be improved significantly by including generated images into the training set.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2017

Measurement of jet properties in CMS

We present measurements of the inclusive jet production at centre-of-mass energies of 8 and 13 TeV, and of multijets at 8 TeV. These measurements allow to constrain PDFs and the strong coupling constant. Two measurements of the azimuthal correlations at 8 and 13 TeV are also presented, testing higher order QCD calculations.

hep-ex↗