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Tracking volume comparison: saveall vs longtv

This page compares the two candidate fixes for the MCParticle Lambda bugs (see the campaign index for bug links):

  • saveall — runs with --part.keepAllParticles=True (tracking-volume handler ON, but the flag is supposed to preserve everything). Intended as the physics-correct baseline.
  • longtv — runs with the new, extended tracking volume proposed in eic/epic#1081. Keeps the handler but makes the Λ decay region fit inside the volume so daughter particles are kept without the save-all crutch.

All plots are produced by analysis/acceptance/plot_lambda_endpoints.py and show primary Λ (lam_is_first == 1) endpoints, grouped by daughter count nd ∈ {0, 1, 2, ≥3, any}.

How to read Use the global selector at the top to switch everything to one energy or variant at once. Use the per-plot dropdown to pick any pair — in particular the saveall X vs longtv X comparisons show saveall first, longtv below, which is the intended reading order.

All plots below will show: saveall 5x41 vs longtv 5x41

I. ZX plane (EIC detector overlay)

Scatter — coloured by daughter count

Primary Λ endpoint ZX — coloured by n daughters

Per-event scatter of Λ endpoints in the ZX plane. Colour encodes number of recorded daughters (0, 1, 2, ≥3).

2-D histogram, all categories (any nd)

ZX endpoint density — any nd

Combined density of all primary Λ endpoints in the ZX plane.

2-D histogram, nd = 0 (undecayed)

ZX endpoint density — nd = 0

Primary Λ with no recorded daughters — indicates the particle left the simulated volume without decaying OR that the tracking-volume bug dropped its daughters.

2-D histogram, nd = 1

ZX endpoint density — nd = 1

Primary Λ with a single recorded daughter (partial-keep artefact).

2-D histogram, nd = 2 (canonical two-body)

ZX endpoint density — nd = 2

Canonical two-body Λ decay topology (p π- or n π0).

2-D histogram, nd ≥ 3 (showering)

ZX endpoint density — nd ≥ 3

Showering / re-interacting Λ endpoints.

II. ZY plane

Scatter

Primary Λ endpoint ZY — coloured by n daughters

2-D histograms

ZY endpoint density — any nd

ZY endpoint density — nd = 0

ZY endpoint density — nd = 1

ZY endpoint density — nd = 2

ZY endpoint density — nd ≥ 3

III. ZR plane (EIC detector overlay, R = sqrt(X²+Y²))

Scatter

Primary Λ endpoint ZR — coloured by n daughters

Radial view. Since R ≥ 0, only the upper half of the overlaid detector cross-section receives data points.

2-D histograms

ZR endpoint density — any nd

ZR endpoint density — nd = 0

ZR endpoint density — nd = 1

ZR endpoint density — nd = 2

ZR endpoint density — nd ≥ 3

IV. 1-D Λ endpoint Z distributions

Overlay (all categories on one figure)

Λ endpoint Z — categories overlaid

Step histograms per daughter-count category plus a dashed outline for the combined sample.

Λ endpoint Z — categories overlaid (log y)

Per category, with EIC image as a Z-landmark ribbon

Λ endpoint Z — any nd

Λ endpoint Z — nd = 0

Λ endpoint Z — nd = 1

Λ endpoint Z — nd = 2

Λ endpoint Z — nd ≥ 3

V. Λ polar angle with respect to +Z

The EIC hadron-beam crossing angle (25 mrad) is marked on both plots.

Primary Λ polar angle θ (mrad), categories overlaid

Primary Λ polar angle θ (mrad), log y

Notes

  • The interesting regions to watch are (a) the nd = 0 populations — ideally these concentrate far downstream or at world-volume boundaries, not inside the detector, and (b) the nd ≥ 3 populations, which should be rare. A working fix moves events out of nd = 0 and nd ≥ 3 into nd = 2.
  • The angular overlay is the cleanest sanity check: all variants must peak at 25 mrad (hadron beam) and show consistent tails. Any big asymmetry between saveall and longtv there indicates a different kinematic pre-selection slipped in, not a tracking-volume effect.

Released under the MIT License.