A note on blind technique for new physics searches in particle physics

TL;DR

This paper reviews the use of blinding techniques in particle physics searches, highlighting inconsistencies and limitations when data precision surpasses current background understanding, impacting future new physics searches.

Contribution

It classifies blinding strategies and critically analyzes their applicability in high-precision future experiments.

Findings

Blinding strategies are inconsistently applied in particle physics.

Traditional blinding methods are inadequate for high-precision future searches.

The paper suggests the need for new approaches to data analysis in particle physics.

Abstract

This paper attempts to classify various blinding strategies used in particle physics. It argues that the blinding technique is not used consistently throughout searches for new physics. More importantly, the blinding technique, in its traditional sense, cannot be applicable for many current and future searches when statistical precision of data significantly exceeds the current level of our understanding of Standard Model (SM) backgrounds.