An Error Analysis Toolkit for Binned Counting Experiments

TL;DR

The paper presents the MINERvA Analysis Toolkit (MAT), a flexible software suite designed to streamline and standardize the handling of systematic uncertainties in high-energy physics experiments, improving transparency and user accessibility.

Contribution

It introduces a modular, extensible toolkit with novel histogram and systematic universe classes for comprehensive error analysis in HEP.

Findings

Supports propagation of uncertainties through all analysis stages

Enables standardization of systematic uncertainty definitions

Provides a transparent, user-friendly interface

Abstract

We introduce the MINERvA Analysis Toolkit (MAT), a utility for centralizing the handling of systematic uncertainties in HEP analyses. The fundamental utilities of the toolkit are the MnvHnD, a powerful histogram container class, and the systematic Universe classes, which provide a modular implementation of the many universe error analysis approach. These products can be used stand-alone or as part of a complete error analysis prescription. They support the propagation of systematic uncertainty through all stages of analysis, and provide flexibility for an arbitrary level of user customization. This extensible solution to error analysis enables the standardization of systematic uncertainty definitions across an experiment and a transparent user interface to lower the barrier to entry for new analyzers.