Robust and Generalizable Background Subtraction on Images of Calorimeter Jets using Unsupervised Generative Learning

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Go, Yeonju, Torbunov, Dmitrii, Huang, Yi, Li, Shuhang, Rinn, Timothy, Yu, Haiwang, Viren, Brett, Lin, Meifeng, Ren, Yihui, Perepelitsa, Dennis, Huang, Jin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Go, Yeonju
Torbunov, Dmitrii
Huang, Yi
Li, Shuhang
Rinn, Timothy
Yu, Haiwang
Viren, Brett
Lin, Meifeng
Ren, Yihui
Perepelitsa, Dennis
Huang, Jin
author_facet Go, Yeonju
Torbunov, Dmitrii
Huang, Yi
Li, Shuhang
Rinn, Timothy
Yu, Haiwang
Viren, Brett
Lin, Meifeng
Ren, Yihui
Perepelitsa, Dennis
Huang, Jin
contents Accurate separation of signal from background is one of the main challenges for precision measurements across high-energy and nuclear physics. Conventional supervised learning methods are insufficient here because the required paired signal and background examples are impossible to acquire in real experiments. Here, we introduce an unsupervised unpaired image-to-image translation neural network that learns to separate the signal and background from the input experimental data using cycle-consistency principles. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using images composed of simulated calorimeter data from the sPHENIX experiment, where physics signals (jets) are immersed in the extremely dense and fluctuating heavy-ion collision environment. Our method outperforms conventional subtraction algorithms in fidelity and overcomes the limitations of supervised methods. Furthermore, we evaluated the model's robustness in an out-of-distribution test scenario designed to emulate modified jets as in real experimental data. The model, trained on a simpler dataset, maintained its high fidelity on a more realistic, highly modified jet signal. This work represents the first use of unsupervised unpaired generative models for full detector jet background subtraction and offers a path for novel applications in real experimental data, enabling high-precision analyses across a wide range of imaging-based experiments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_23717
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Robust and Generalizable Background Subtraction on Images of Calorimeter Jets using Unsupervised Generative Learning
Go, Yeonju
Torbunov, Dmitrii
Huang, Yi
Li, Shuhang
Rinn, Timothy
Yu, Haiwang
Viren, Brett
Lin, Meifeng
Ren, Yihui
Perepelitsa, Dennis
Huang, Jin
Nuclear Experiment
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Accurate separation of signal from background is one of the main challenges for precision measurements across high-energy and nuclear physics. Conventional supervised learning methods are insufficient here because the required paired signal and background examples are impossible to acquire in real experiments. Here, we introduce an unsupervised unpaired image-to-image translation neural network that learns to separate the signal and background from the input experimental data using cycle-consistency principles. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using images composed of simulated calorimeter data from the sPHENIX experiment, where physics signals (jets) are immersed in the extremely dense and fluctuating heavy-ion collision environment. Our method outperforms conventional subtraction algorithms in fidelity and overcomes the limitations of supervised methods. Furthermore, we evaluated the model's robustness in an out-of-distribution test scenario designed to emulate modified jets as in real experimental data. The model, trained on a simpler dataset, maintained its high fidelity on a more realistic, highly modified jet signal. This work represents the first use of unsupervised unpaired generative models for full detector jet background subtraction and offers a path for novel applications in real experimental data, enabling high-precision analyses across a wide range of imaging-based experiments.
title Robust and Generalizable Background Subtraction on Images of Calorimeter Jets using Unsupervised Generative Learning
topic Nuclear Experiment
Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.23717