CMS Data Express

CMS Data Express is a short investigation using events from the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Students are put assigned “on-shift” to CMS Data Quality Management (DQM). They check the data quality to see that CMS is performing to specification by giving a good fit for the Z mass and/or the W+W- ratio. They:

• Separate Z candidate events from other events by visual inspection and create a mass plot for the Z boson.
• Separate W candidate events from other events by visual inspection and determine the ratio of W+ to W- candidates.

While this activity is richest pursuing both goals, each can stand on its own as a separate activity. This activity helps prepare students for a masterclass or to give students a masterclass-like experience in a short time (1-2 class periods.)