The method of kinematic limits in high-energy physics

Abstract

This paper proposes a general approach for calculating kinematic limits attained when Lorentz invariants, which are analogous to Cayley-Menger determinants for Minkowski space, vanish. This approach can be applied to a wide range of processes in particle physics. In particular, this may be relevant for reactions involving lost particles, which can be lost due to both detector inefficiency and the small cross section of particle interactions with detector materials, such as neutrinos. Furthermore, kinematic limits can be used to suppress background.

22 pages, 4 figures submitted to JHEP