• DOI:10.1162/99608f92.250f995b
• Corpus ID: 221703733

Reproducibility and Replication of Experimental Particle Physics Results

@article{Junk2020ReproducibilityAR,
  title={Reproducibility and Replication of Experimental Particle Physics Results},
  author={Thomas Junk and L. Lyons},
  journal={Issue 2.4, Fall 2020},
  year={2020}
}

• T. Junk, L. Lyons
• Published 15 September 2020
• Physics, Computer Science
• Issue 2.4, Fall 2020

The recent "replication crisis" has caused practitioners and journal editors in many fields in science to examine closely their methodologies and publishing criteria. Experimental particle physicists are no exceptions to this, but some of the unique features of this sub-field of physics make the issues of reproduction and replication of results a very interesting and informative topic. The experiments take many years to design, construct, and operate. Because the equipment is so large and complex, like that of the Large Hadron Collider and its associated particle detectors, the costs are very high. Large collaborations produce and check the results, and many papers are signed by more than three thousand authors. Experimental particle physics is a mature field with strong traditions followed by the collaborations. This paper gives an introduction to what experimental particle physics is and to some of the tools that are used to analyze the data. It describes the procedures used to ensure that results can be computationally reproduced, both internally and externally. It also describes methods particle physicists use to maximize the reliability of the results, which increases the probability that they can be replicated by other collaborations or even the same collaborations with more data and new personnel. Examples of results that were later found to be false are given, both with failed replication attempts and some with alarmingly successful replications. While some of the characteristics of particle physics experiments are unique, many of the procedures and techniques can be and are used in other fields.