An Optimal Observable Machine for reinterpretable measurements in high-energy physics

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Mohr, Torben, Triviño, Alejandro Quiroga, Riemer, Fabian, Monsch, Artur, Defranchis, Matteo, Knolle, Joscha, Mehta, Ankita, Kieseler, Jan, Klute, Markus
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Mohr, Torben
Triviño, Alejandro Quiroga
Riemer, Fabian
Monsch, Artur
Defranchis, Matteo
Knolle, Joscha
Mehta, Ankita
Kieseler, Jan
Klute, Markus
author_facet Mohr, Torben
Triviño, Alejandro Quiroga
Riemer, Fabian
Monsch, Artur
Defranchis, Matteo
Knolle, Joscha
Mehta, Ankita
Kieseler, Jan
Klute, Markus
contents A machine-learning-based framework for constructing generator-level observables optimized for parameter extraction in particle physics analyses is introduced, referred to as the Optimal Observable Machine (OOM). Unfoldable differential distributions are learned that maximize sensitivity to a parameter of interest while remaining robust against detector effects, systematic uncertainties, and biases introduced by the unfolding procedure. Detector response and systematic uncertainties are explicitly incorporated into the training through a likelihood-based loss function, enabling a direct optimization of the expected measurement precision while minimizing the bias from any assumption on the parameter of interest itself. The approach is demonstrated in an application to top quark physics, focusing on the measurement of a recently observed pseudoscalar excess at the top quark pair production threshold in dilepton final states. It is shown that a generator-level observable with enhanced sensitivity and long-term reinterpretability can be constructed using this method.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_08813
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle An Optimal Observable Machine for reinterpretable measurements in high-energy physics
Mohr, Torben
Triviño, Alejandro Quiroga
Riemer, Fabian
Monsch, Artur
Defranchis, Matteo
Knolle, Joscha
Mehta, Ankita
Kieseler, Jan
Klute, Markus
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Experiment
A machine-learning-based framework for constructing generator-level observables optimized for parameter extraction in particle physics analyses is introduced, referred to as the Optimal Observable Machine (OOM). Unfoldable differential distributions are learned that maximize sensitivity to a parameter of interest while remaining robust against detector effects, systematic uncertainties, and biases introduced by the unfolding procedure. Detector response and systematic uncertainties are explicitly incorporated into the training through a likelihood-based loss function, enabling a direct optimization of the expected measurement precision while minimizing the bias from any assumption on the parameter of interest itself. The approach is demonstrated in an application to top quark physics, focusing on the measurement of a recently observed pseudoscalar excess at the top quark pair production threshold in dilepton final states. It is shown that a generator-level observable with enhanced sensitivity and long-term reinterpretability can be constructed using this method.
title An Optimal Observable Machine for reinterpretable measurements in high-energy physics
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Experiment
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08813