The MGDO software library for data analysis in Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments

TL;DR

The paper introduces MGDO, a C++ software library designed for data analysis in germanium-based neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments, facilitating data management, analysis, and collaboration.

Contribution

It presents a shared, flexible software library that standardizes data formats and analysis tools for GERDA and Majorana experiments, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.

Findings

MGDO effectively manages physical data quantities.

It reduces code duplication across experiments.

The library supports both simulated and experimental data processing.

Abstract

The GERDA and Majorana experiments will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of germanium-76 using isotopically enriched high-purity germanium detectors. Although the experiments differ in conceptual design, they share many aspects in common, and in particular will employ similar data analysis techniques. The collaborations are jointly developing a C++ software library, MGDO, which contains a set of data objects and interfaces to encapsulate, store and manage physical quantities of interest, such as waveforms and high-purity germanium detector geometries. These data objects define a common format for persistent data, whether it is generated by Monte Carlo simulations or an experimental apparatus, to reduce code duplication and to ease the exchange of information between detector systems. MGDO also includes general-purpose analysis tools that can be used for the processing of measured or simulated digital signals. The MGDO design is based on the Object-Oriented programming paradigm and is very flexible, allowing for easy extension and customization of the components. The tools provided by the MGDO libraries are used by both GERDA and Majorana.