Reference analysis of the signal + background model in counting experiments

Abstract

The model representing two independent Poisson processes, labelled as "signal" and "background" and both contributing at the same time to the total number of counted events, is considered from a Bayesian point of view. This is a widely used model for the searches of rare or exotic events in presence of some background source, as for example in the searches performed by the high-energy physics experiments. In the assumption of some prior knowledge about the background yield, a reference prior is obtained for the signal alone and its properties are studied. Finally, the properties of the full solution, the marginal reference posterior, are illustrated with few examples.

References in corpus (2)

• Asymptotic formulae for likelihood-based tests of new physics
• Reference priors for high energy physics

Cited by in corpus (6)

• A search for ttbar resonances in lepton+jets events with highly boosted top quarks collected in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector
• A search for ttbar resonances in the lepton plus jets final state with ATLAS using 4.7 fb^-1 of pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
• A search for high-mass resonances decaying to tau+tau- in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector
• A search for high-mass resonances decaying to ${\tau }^{+}{\tau }^{-}$ in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV with the ATLAS detector
• Search for excited electrons and muons in sqrt(s)=8 TeV proton-proton collisions with the ATLAS detector
• Objective Bayesian analysis of counting experiments with correlated sources of background