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Frank Krauss

Publications and source records attributed to Frank Krauss.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Robust Calibration of Non-Perturbative Models with History Matching

We apply, for the first time, Bayes Linear Emulation and History Matching to the calibration of non-perturbative models in Monte Carlo event generators. In contrast to the usual approach of "Monte Carlo tuning", History Matching does not result in best-fit plus ellipsoidal parameter uncertainty estimates but instead identifies all parameter space regions that are consistent with data. This approach leads to a systematic and robust quantification of parametric uncertainties in the models, especially in those challenging cases where different, possibly disjoint, regions of parameter space deliver similar results, which are usually not properly treated with current methodology. We highlight the power of this method with the hadronisation models available through Sherpa: the built-in cluster fragmentation Ahadic and string fragmentation through an interface to Pythia.

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Mitigating Disease Spread by Design in Refugee and IDP Camps

Disease spread represents an increasing challenge in refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) settlements. The movement and interaction of people within camps is influenced by their layout, which therefore has the potential to significantly affect disease spread. This work aims at creating a methodology to explore the potential effects of different camp layouts as mitigating factors in the spread of diseases within settlements. We showcase proof-of-concept experiments by leveraging the JUNE agent-based epidemic model, discuss the kind of operational insights this methodology can facilitate, and provide a framework for future investigations.

physics.soc-ph↗

Automated higher-order predictions for ultra-peripheral collisions with full impact-parameter dependence

We present an automated framework within the Sherpa event generator for the simulation of photon-induced processes in high-energy collisions of protons and nuclei. The calculation builds upon the equivalent-photon approximation and incorporates different form factor parametrisations, taking into account the full dependence on the finite size of emitters and their impact parameter. Higher-order effects are taken into account automatically by either YFS-resummation of soft photon emissions to all orders or Next-to-Leading Order in electroweak theory. We validate our simulation framework using data from two representative ATLAS measurements of exclusive $μ$-pair production in $pp$ and Pb+Pb collisions. Exemplary predictions for exclusive $W$-pair production in $pp$ collisions and $τ$-pair production in both $pp$ and Pb+Pb collisions are presented.

hep-ph↗

Reweighting Underlying Event and Colour Reconnection parameter variations in Sherpa

We propose and validate a new method to trace the impact of parameter variations in the simulation of multi-parton interactions and colour reconnections in the Sherpa event generator. They are reflected, at an event-by-event basis, through relative weights with respect to the central production parameters that give rise to the generated events and distributions. Our method facilitates the tuning of the Monte Carlo event generator at a dramatically reduced computational cost, alleviates parameter sensitivity studies, and enables robust quantification of parametric uncertainties on-the-fly, one of the missing ingredients for future simulations of high-energy particle collisions. The method can easily be adapted to and implemented in other event generators. To illustrate its potential, we here consider combined tunes of the multi-parton-interaction and colour-reconnection models in Sherpa using LHC proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=7\,\text{TeV}$. We furthermore calibrate the energy-scaling behaviour of dimensionful model parameters based on $\sqrt{s}=13\,\text{TeV}$ LHC data and Tevatron data taken at $\sqrt{s}=1.96\,\text{TeV}$.

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Towards a Fully Automated Differential $\text{NNLO}_\text{EW}$ Generator for Lepton Colliders

Future proposed lepton collider experiments will reach unprecedented levels of accuracy. To ensure the success of these experiments, and to fully exploit their wealth of data, the precision of theory calculations must reach comparable or even better levels. One bottleneck in achieving this precision target lies in the systematic, process-independent inclusion of higher-order corrections at Next-to-Next-to-Leading Order in the electroweak coupling $\text{NNLO}_\text{EW}$ while ensuring the correct matching with modern all-orders resummation techniques. Here, we present a solution to this problem, based on the Yennie-Frautschi-Suura theorem, which employs a local infrared (IR) subtraction to remove divergences and its matching to an all-order resummation of the soft and soft-collinear logarithms.

hep-ph↗

Quantum Entanglement is Quantum: ZZ Production at the LHC

Polarization and spin correlations in diboson systems serve as powerful tools for precision tests and searches for new physics. Recently, interpreting these observables through the lens of quantum information, for instance by examining whether the diboson systems exhibit entanglement, has introduced a compelling new dimension to these studies. We analyze the angular coefficients in the processes $pp\to e^+e^-μ^+μ^-$ and $h\to e^+e^-μ^+μ^-$, incorporating higher-order QCD and electroweak corrections. Guided by the fundamental properties of the spin density matrix, we assess the stability of the two-qutrit interpretation under radiative effects. For the $pp \to e^+e^-μ^+μ^-$ process, NLO QCD corrections preserve the two-qutrit structure but weaken entanglement indicators, an effect that can be partially mitigated by jet binning. In contrast, electroweak corrections introduce non-factorizable contributions that modify the quantum properties of the system. While these effects can be largely depleted by selecting events with a double-resonant $ZZ$ structure, such a kinematic handle is not available for Higgs decays. In the $h \to e^+e^-μ^+μ^-$ channel, singly-resonant NLO electroweak corrections substantially distort the angular coefficients, challenging the description of these events as a two-qutrit system.

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Recoil-Safe Subtraction, Matching and Merging in e+e- to hadrons

We present the first next-to-leading order matched and multi-jet merged predictions based on the Alaric parton shower. The components needed for infrared subtraction in the S-MC@NLO algorithm are computed analytically for the case of color singlet decays to hadronic final states and validated against existing approaches for up to e+e- to 5 jets. Phenomenological results for e+e- to hadrons at the Z pole are obtained with up to five jets at next-to-leading order precision, for the first time using an evolution algorithm with NLL-preserving kinematics mapping.

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Event generation with Sherpa 3

Sherpa is a general-purpose Monte Carlo event generator for the simulation of particle collisions in high-energy collider experiments. We summarise new developments, essential features, and ongoing improvements within the Sherpa 3 release series. Physics improvements include higher-order electroweak corrections, simulations of photoproduction and hard diffraction at NLO QCD, heavy-flavour matching in NLO multijet merging, spin-polarised cross section calculations, and a new model of colour reconnections. In addition, the modelling of hadronisation, the underlying event and QED effects in both production and decay has been improved, and the overall event generation efficiency has been enhanced.

hep-ph↗

Hard Diffraction in Sherpa

We present the first complete simulation framework for the simulation of jet production in diffractive events at next-to leading order in QCD, matched to the parton shower. We validate the implementation in the SHERPA event generator with data from the H1 and ZEUS experiments for diffractive DIS and diffractive photoproduction. For the latter, we review different models aiming to explain the observed factorisation breaking and we argue that at NLO the direct component must also be suppressed. We provide predictions for diffractive jet production both in DIS and in photoproduction events for the upcoming EIC.

hep-ph↗

The Alaric parton shower for hadron colliders

We introduce the Alaric parton shower for simulating QCD radiation at hadron colliders and present numerical results from an implementation in the event generator Sherpa. Alaric provides a consistent framework to quantify certain systematic uncertainties which cannot be eliminated by comparing the parton shower with analytic resummation. In particular, it allows to study recoil effects away from the soft and collinear limits without the need to change the evolution variable or the splitting functions. We assess the performance of Alaric in Drell-Yan lepton pair and QCD jet production, and present the first multi-jet merging for the new algorithm.

hep-ph↗

Measuring Hadronic Higgs Boson Branching Ratios at Future Lepton Colliders

We present a novel strategy for the simultaneous measurement of Higgs-boson branching ratios into gluons and light quarks at a future lepton collider operating in the Higgs-factory mode. Our method is based on template fits to global event-shape observables, and in particular fractional energy correlations, thereby exploiting differences in the QCD radiation patterns of quarks and gluons. In a constrained fit of the deviations of the light-flavour hadronic Higgs-boson branching ratios from their Standard Model expectations, based on an integrated luminosity of $5\,\text{ab}^{-1}$, we obtain $68\%$ confidence level limits of $μ_{gg}=1 \pm 0.05$ and $μ_{q\bar{q}}<21$.

hep-ph↗

Resolved Photons in Sherpa

We present the first complete simulation framework, in the Sherpa event generator, for resolved photon interactions at next-to leading order accuracy. It includes photon spectra obtained through the equivalent-photon approximation, parton distribution functions to parametrize the hadronic structure of quasi-real photons, the matching of the parton shower to next-to leading order QCD calculations for resolved photon cross sections, and the modelling of multiple-parton interactions. We validate our framework against a wide range of photo-production data from LEP and HERA experiments, observing good overall agreement. We identify important future steps relevant for high-quality simulations at the planned Electron-Ion Collider.

hep-ph↗

A new approach to color-coherent parton evolution

We present a simple parton-shower model that replaces the explicit angular ordering of the coherent branching formalism with a differentially accurate simulation of soft-gluon radiation by means of a non-trivial dependence on azimuthal angles. We introduce a global kinematics mapping and provide an analytic proof that it satisfies the criteria for next-to leading logarithmic accuracy. In the new algorithm, initial and final state evolution are treated on the same footing. We provide an implementation for final-state evolution in the numerical code Alaric and present a first comparison to experimental data.

hep-ph↗

Machine Learning and LHC Event Generation

First-principle simulations are at the heart of the high-energy physics research program. They link the vast data output of multi-purpose detectors with fundamental theory predictions and interpretation. This review illustrates a wide range of applications of modern machine learning to event generation and simulation-based inference, including conceptional developments driven by the specific requirements of particle physics. New ideas and tools developed at the interface of particle physics and machine learning will improve the speed and precision of forward simulations, handle the complexity of collision data, and enhance inference as an inverse simulation problem.

hep-ph↗

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.

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A Mixed-Method Approach to Determining Contact Matrices in the Cox's Bazar Refugee Settlement

Contact matrices are an important ingredient in age-structured epidemic models to inform the simulated spread of the disease between sub-groups of the population. These matrices are generally derived using resource-intensive diary-based surveys and few exist in the Global South or tailored to vulnerable populations. In particular, no contact matrices exist for refugee settlements - locations under-served by epidemic models in general. In this paper we present a novel, mixed-method approach, for deriving contact matrices in populations which combines a lightweight, rapidly deployable, survey with an agent-based model of the population informed by census and behavioural data. We use this method to derive the first set of contact matrices for the Cox's Bazar refugee settlement in Bangladesh. The matrices from the refugee settlement show strong banding effects due to different age cut-offs in attendance at certain venues, such as distribution centres and religious sites, as well as the important contribution of the demographic profile of the settlement which was encoded in the model. These can have significant implications to the modelled disease dynamics. To validate our approach, we also apply our method to the population of the UK and compare our derived matrices against well-known contact matrices previously collected using traditional approaches. Overall, our findings demonstrate that our mixed-method approach can address some of the challenges of both the traditional and previously proposed agent-based approaches to deriving contact matrices, and has the potential to be rolled-out in other resource-constrained environments. This work therefore contributes to a broader aim of developing new methods and mechanisms of data collection for modelling disease spread in refugee and IDP settlements and better serving these vulnerable communities.

physics.soc-ph↗

A standard convention for particle-level Monte Carlo event-variation weights

Streams of event weights in particle-level Monte Carlo event generators are a convenient and immensely CPU-efficient approach to express systematic uncertainties in phenomenology calculations, providing systematic variations on the nominal prediction within a single event sample. But the lack of a common standard for labelling these variation streams across different tools has proven to be a major limitation for event-processing tools and analysers alike. Here we propose a well-defined, extensible community standard for the naming, ordering, and interpretation of weight streams that will serve as the basis for semantically correct parsing and combination of such variations in both theoretical and experimental studies.

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