Inverse Autoregressive Flows for Zero Degree Calorimeter fast simulation

TL;DR

This paper presents a physics-informed machine learning approach using inverse autoregressive flows to significantly accelerate Zero Degree Calorimeter simulations at CERN, achieving models that are both more accurate and 421 times faster.

Contribution

It introduces a novel loss function and scaling mechanism within a normalizing flow framework, embedding domain knowledge to improve simulation accuracy and speed.

Findings

Outperforms classic data-driven models in ZDC simulation

Achieves 421x faster simulation speed

Enhances spatial and morphological accuracy of particle shower modeling

Abstract

Physics-based machine learning blends traditional science with modern data-driven techniques. Rather than relying exclusively on empirical data or predefined equations, this methodology embeds domain knowledge directly into the learning process, resulting in models that are both more accurate and robust. We leverage this paradigm to accelerate simulations of the Zero Degree Calorimeter (ZDC) of the ALICE experiment at CERN. Our method introduces a novel loss function and an output variability-based scaling mechanism, which enhance the model's capability to accurately represent the spatial distribution and morphology of particle showers in detector outputs while mitigating the influence of rare artefacts on the training. Leveraging Normalizing Flows (NFs) in a teacher-student generative framework, we demonstrate that our approach not only outperforms classic data-driven model assimilation but also yields models that are 421 times faster than existing NF implementations in ZDC simulation literature.