Tau Decays in Pythia 8

TL;DR

This paper describes the implementation of advanced tau-lepton decay modeling, including spin correlations and various decay processes, in Pythia 8.150, enhancing simulation accuracy for particle physics research.

Contribution

It introduces a new, sophisticated tau-lepton decay machinery in Pythia 8.150, replacing the previous isotropic decay model, with detailed descriptions of algorithms and processes.

Findings

Enhanced decay simulation accuracy in Pythia 8.150

Inclusion of spin correlation algorithms for tau decays

Support for multiple tau-lepton production and decay models

Abstract

As of version 8.150 of Pythia, the isotropic decay model of tau-leptons has been replaced with sophisticated tau-lepton decay machinery. The decays and spin correlations for tau-leptons in Pythia 8 are described, including the spin correlation algorithm, the available tau-lepton production processes, the tau-lepton decay models, the user interface, and the implementation.