Deciphering compressed electroweakino excesses with MadAnalysis 5
Pith reviewed 2026-05-22 00:12 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Version 1.11 of MadAnalysis 5 adds features to handle efficiency tables, reference-frame observables, and statistical limits for LHC excess analyses.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
The central claim is that the enhancements in MadAnalysis 5 version 1.11 enable accurate implementation of the ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16 and ATLAS-SUSY-2019-09 analyses. This is achieved through direct code extensions for efficiency tables and third-party integrations for frame-dependent observables and statistical computations, allowing a consistent investigation of the NMSSM as a potential source of overlapping excesses in soft-particle plus missing-transverse-energy final states.
What carries the argument
The extended MadAnalysis 5 version 1.11 framework with new modules for efficiency-table handling and statistical-limit calculations.
If this is right
- The tool now permits direct computation of statistical limits on supersymmetric models using the same efficiency inputs as the original ATLAS papers.
- Observables can be evaluated in both the lab frame and the rest frame of reconstructed objects within a single analysis script.
- A larger set of overlapping LHC searches with soft leptons or jets plus missing energy can be analyzed consistently under one software framework.
- The NMSSM parameter space can be tested against multiple correlated excesses rather than isolated signals.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- The same efficiency and statistics modules could be applied to reinterpret other mild excesses reported by ATLAS or CMS in compressed spectra.
- Future public releases of the software might incorporate automated validation against additional published analyses to reduce manual re-implementation effort.
- If the NMSSM fits improve with these tools, dedicated searches optimized for the predicted soft-particle kinematics could be designed.
Load-bearing premise
The two ATLAS analyses have been re-implemented inside the updated MadAnalysis 5 without errors in how efficiencies or statistics are modeled.
What would settle it
Running the updated software on the same Monte Carlo samples used by ATLAS and finding event yields or significance values that differ from the published ATLAS results by more than the quoted uncertainties would indicate a problem with the implementation.
read the original abstract
We present version 1.11 of MadAnalysis 5, which extends the software package in several major ways to improve the handling of efficiency tables, the computation of observables in different reference frames and the calculation of statistical limits and/or significance. We detail how these improvements, whose development was motivated by the desire to implement two Run 2 LHC analyses targeting signatures with soft leptons and missing energy and exhibiting mild excesses (ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16 and ATLAS-SUSY-2019-09), have been implemented by both direct extensions of the code and integrations with third-party software. We then document the implementation and validation of these analyses, demonstrating their utility along with the improved statistics capabilities of MadAnalysis 5 through an investigation of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in the context of a larger set of overlapping excesses in channels with soft leptons/jets and missing transverse energy.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The manuscript presents version 1.11 of MadAnalysis 5, which adds capabilities for handling efficiency tables, computing observables in alternative reference frames, and performing statistical limit and significance calculations. These extensions were developed to enable re-implementation of two ATLAS Run 2 searches (ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16 and ATLAS-SUSY-2019-09) that target soft-lepton plus missing-energy signatures and report mild excesses; the paper documents the code changes, states that validation was performed, and applies the framework to an NMSSM interpretation of these and related overlapping excesses.
Significance. If the re-implementations are shown to reproduce the ATLAS results at the level needed to interpret the excesses, the work supplies a publicly usable extension to an established analysis package that addresses recurring technical issues in compressed electroweakino searches. The new efficiency-table and statistics modules could improve reproducibility for the broader LHC phenomenology community.
major comments (1)
- [Validation section] Validation section (implementation and validation of the two ATLAS analyses): the manuscript states that the re-implementations of ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16 and ATLAS-SUSY-2019-09 were validated, yet provides no quantitative, point-by-point comparison against the collaboration's published cut-flow tables, efficiency maps, or public likelihoods for the signal benchmarks used to claim the mild excesses. Any systematic difference in object definitions, isolation, or MET reconstruction would directly affect the reported significances and the subsequent NMSSM conclusions.
minor comments (3)
- [Abstract] The abstract refers to 'a larger set of overlapping excesses' without enumerating the additional analyses or channels that are included in the NMSSM study.
- [Figures] Figure captions and axis labels for any validation or limit plots should explicitly state whether the MadAnalysis results are overlaid on the original ATLAS values or derived quantities.
- [Code and data availability] Ensure that the updated MadAnalysis 5 code, efficiency-table handling routines, and any validation scripts are deposited in a public repository with version tags and reproduction instructions.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the thorough review of our manuscript. We address the major comment on the validation of the ATLAS analyses below.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: Validation section (implementation and validation of the two ATLAS analyses): the manuscript states that the re-implementations of ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16 and ATLAS-SUSY-2019-09 were validated, yet provides no quantitative, point-by-point comparison against the collaboration's published cut-flow tables, efficiency maps, or public likelihoods for the signal benchmarks used to claim the mild excesses. Any systematic difference in object definitions, isolation, or MET reconstruction would directly affect the reported significances and the subsequent NMSSM conclusions.
Authors: We agree with the referee that explicit quantitative validation is essential to substantiate the re-implementations and support the subsequent NMSSM interpretation. While the manuscript describes the analysis implementations and states that validation against ATLAS results was performed, we acknowledge that detailed point-by-point comparisons with published cut-flow tables, efficiency maps, and yields for the relevant signal benchmarks were not included. In the revised manuscript we will add explicit tables and figures presenting these comparisons for the benchmark points used in the excess interpretation. Where public likelihood information is available from the ATLAS collaboration we will also include direct comparisons to the statistical outputs. revision: yes
Circularity Check
No significant circularity in software extensions or analysis re-implementations
full rationale
The paper describes code-level extensions to MadAnalysis 5 for efficiency tables, reference-frame observables, and statistical modules, followed by documentation of re-implementations of two external ATLAS analyses (ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16 and ATLAS-SUSY-2019-09) and an NMSSM interpretation. No load-bearing steps reduce by construction to self-defined quantities, fitted inputs renamed as predictions, or self-citation chains. Validation is framed against external published analyses rather than internal parameter fits, rendering the central claims self-contained against independent benchmarks.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (1)
- domain assumption Standard assumptions underlying LHC Monte-Carlo event generation and detector simulation remain valid for the re-implemented analyses.
Lean theorems connected to this paper
-
IndisputableMonolith/Cost/FunctionalEquation.leanwashburn_uniqueness_aczel unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
We present version 1.11 of MadAnalysis 5, which extends the software package in several major ways to improve the handling of efficiency tables, the computation of observables in different reference frames and the calculation of statistical limits and/or significance.
-
IndisputableMonolith/Foundation/AlexanderDuality.leanalexander_duality_circle_linking unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
The PHYSICS service of MadAnalysis 5 has been extended to include a helper pointer, RF, which provides direct access to RestFrames methods.
What do these tags mean?
- matches
- The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
- supports
- The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
- extends
- The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
- uses
- The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
- contradicts
- The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
- unclear
- Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.
Forward citations
Cited by 1 Pith paper
-
Composite top partners in exotic colour representations
Colour-sextet top partners in composite Higgs models are excluded up to 2-2.5 TeV by current LHC data via top-rich decays, with HL-LHC reach near 3 TeV.
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
LHC Reinterpretation Forum collaboration, Reinterpretation of LHC Results for New Physics: Status and Recommendations after Run 2, SciPost Phys. 9 (2020) 022 [2003.07868]
-
[2]
S. Kraml, S. Kulkarni, U. Laa, A. Lessa, W. Magerl, D. Proschofsky-Spindler et al., SModelS: a tool for interpreting simplified-model results from the LHC and its application to supersymmetry, Eur. Phys. J. C 74 (2014) 2868 [1312.4175]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2014
-
[3]
F. Ambrogi et al., SModelS v1.2: long-lived particles, combination of signal regions, and other novelties, Comput. Phys. Commun. 251 (2020) 106848 [1811.10624]
-
[4]
G. Alguero, S. Kraml and W. Waltenberger, A SModelS interface for pyhf likelihoods, Comput. Phys. Commun. 264 (2021) 107909 [2009.01809]
-
[5]
G. Alguero, J. Heisig, C.K. Khosa, S. Kraml, S. Kulkarni, A. Lessa et al., Constraining new physics with SModelS version 2, JHEP 08 (2022) 068 [2112.00769]
-
[6]
M.M. Altakach, S. Kraml, A. Lessa, S. Narasimha, T. Pascal, C. Ramos et al., SModelS v3: going beyond Z2 topologies, JHEP 11 (2024) 074 [2409.12942]
-
[7]
MadAnalysis 5, a user-friendly framework for collider phenomenology
E. Conte, B. Fuks and G. Serret, MadAnalysis 5, A User-Friendly Framework for Collider Phenomenology, Comput. Phys. Commun. 184 (2013) 222 [1206.1599]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2013
-
[8]
Designing and recasting LHC analyses with MadAnalysis 5
E. Conte, B. Dumont, B. Fuks and C. Wymant, Designing and recasting LHC analyses with MadAnalysis 5, Eur. Phys. J. C 74 (2014) 3103 [1405.3982]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2014
-
[9]
Confronting new physics theories to LHC data with MadAnalysis 5
E. Conte and B. Fuks, Confronting new physics theories to LHC data with MADANALYSIS 5, Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 33 (2018) 1830027 [1808.00480]. 19
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2018
-
[10]
M.D. Goodsell and L. Priya, Long dead winos, Eur. Phys. J. C 82 (2022) 235 [2106.08815]
-
[11]
HackAnalysis 2: A powerful and hackable recasting tool,
M.D. Goodsell, HackAnalysis 2: A powerful and hackable recasting tool, 2406.10042
- [12]
-
[13]
CheckMATE 2: From the model to the limit
D. Dercks, N. Desai, J.S. Kim, K. Rolbiecki, J. Tattersall and T. Weber,CheckMATE 2: From the model to the limit, Comput. Phys. Commun. 221 (2017) 383 [1611.09856]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2017
- [14]
-
[15]
A. Buckley, J. Butterworth, D. Grellscheid, H. Hoeth, L. Lonnblad, J. Monk et al., Rivet user manual, Comput. Phys. Commun. 184 (2013) 2803 [1003.0694]
-
[16]
A. Buckley, D. Kar and K. Nordstr ¨om, Fast simulation of detector effects in Rivet, SciPost Phys. 8 (2020) 025 [1910.01637]
-
[17]
C. Bierlich et al., Robust Independent Validation of Experiment and Theory: Rivet version 3, SciPost Phys. 8 (2020) 026 [1912.05451]
-
[18]
C. Bierlich, A. Buckley, J.M. Butterworth, C. Gutschow, L. Lonnblad, T. Procter et al., Robust independent validation of experiment and theory: Rivet version 4 release note, SciPost Phys. Codeb. 36 (2024) 1 [2404.15984]
-
[19]
Constraining new physics with collider measurements of Standard Model signatures
J.M. Butterworth, D. Grellscheid, M. Kr ¨amer, B. Sarrazin and D. Yallup,Constraining new physics with collider measurements of Standard Model signatures, JHEP 03 (2017) 078 [1606.05296]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2017
-
[20]
A. Buckley et al., Testing new physics models with global comparisons to collider measurements: the Contur toolkit, SciPost Phys. Core 4 (2021) 013 [2102.04377]
- [21]
-
[22]
Towards a public analysis database for LHC new physics searches using MadAnalysis 5
B. Dumont, B. Fuks, S. Kraml, S. Bein, G. Chalons, E. Conte et al., Toward a public analysis database for LHC new physics searches using MADANALYSIS 5, Eur. Phys. J. C 75 (2015) 56 [1407.3278]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2015
- [23]
- [24]
- [25]
-
[26]
Read, Presentation of search results: The 𝐶 𝐿𝑠 technique, J
A.L. Read, Presentation of search results: The 𝐶 𝐿𝑠 technique, J. Phys. G 28 (2002) 2693
work page 2002
-
[27]
CMS collaboration, Simplified likelihood for the re-interpretation of public CMS results, Tech. Rep. CMS-NOTE-2017-001, CERN, Geneva (Jan, 2017)
work page 2017
-
[28]
ATLAS collaboration, Reproducing searches for new physics with the ATLAS experiment through publication of full statistical likelihoods, Tech. Rep. ATL-PHYS-PUB-2019-029, CERN, Geneva (2019)
work page 2019
-
[29]
G. Alguero, J.Y. Araz, B. Fuks and S. Kraml, Signal region combination with full and simplified likelihoods in MadAnalysis 5, SciPost Phys. 14 (2023) 009 [2206.14870]
- [30]
- [31]
-
[32]
T. Buanes, I.n. Lara, K. Rolbiecki and K. Sakurai, LHC constraints on electroweakino dark matter revisited, Phys. Rev. D 107 (2023) 095021 [2208.04342]
- [33]
-
[34]
F. Domingo, U. Ellwanger and C. Hugonie, 𝑀𝑊, dark matter and 𝑎𝜇 in the NMSSM, Eur. Phys. J. C 82 (2022) 1074 [2209.03863]
- [35]
- [36]
-
[37]
G. Stark, C.A. Ots and M. Hance, Reduce, Reuse, Reinterpret: an end-to-end pipeline for recycling particle physics results, 2306.11055
- [38]
- [39]
-
[40]
S. Ashanujjaman and S.P. Maharathy, Probing compressed mass spectra in the type-II seesaw model at the LHC, Phys. Rev. D 107 (2023) 115026 [2305.06889]
-
[41]
L.M. Carpenter, H. Gilmer, J. Kawamura and T. Murphy, Taking aim at the wino-Higgsino plane with the LHC, Phys. Rev. D 109 (2024) 015012 [2309.07213]
-
[42]
M.M. Altakach, S. Kraml, A. Lessa, S. Narasimha, T. Pascal, T. Reymermier et al., Global LHC constraints on electroweak-inos with SModelS v2.3, SciPost Phys. 16 (2024) 101 [2312.16635]
- [43]
-
[44]
S. Roy and C.E.M. Wagner, Dark Matter searches with photons at the LHC, JHEP 04 (2024) 106 [2401.08917]
- [45]
-
[46]
M. Chakraborti, S. Heinemeyer and I. Saha, Consistent excesses in the search for ˜𝜒0 2 ˜𝜒± 1 : wino/bino vs. Higgsino dark matter, Eur. Phys. J. C 84 (2024) 812 [2403.14759]
-
[47]
Martin, Implications of purity constraints on light Higgsinos, Phys
S.P. Martin, Implications of purity constraints on light Higgsinos, Phys. Rev. D 109 (2024) 095045 [2403.19598]
- [48]
-
[49]
U. Ellwanger, C. Hugonie, S.F. King and S. Moretti, NMSSM explanation for excesses in the search for neutralinos and charginos and a 95 GeV Higgs boson, Eur. Phys. J. C 84 (2024) 788 [2404.19338]
-
[50]
R. Capdevilla, F. Meloni and J. Zurita, Discovering Electroweak Interacting Dark Matter at Muon Colliders using Soft Tracks, 2405.08858
- [51]
-
[52]
Martin, Curtain lowers on directly detectable higgsino dark matter, Phys
S.P. Martin, Curtain lowers on directly detectable higgsino dark matter, Phys. Rev. D 111 (2025) 075004 [2412.08958]
- [53]
- [54]
- [55]
-
[56]
CMS collaboration, Search for new particles in events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at √𝑠 = 13 TeV, J. High Energy Phys. 11 (2021) 153 [2107.13021]
- [57]
- [58]
- [59]
-
[60]
Araz, Spey: Smooth inference for reinterpretation studies, SciPost Phys
J.Y. Araz, Spey: Smooth inference for reinterpretation studies, SciPost Phys. 16 (2024) 032 [2307.06996]
-
[61]
The Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model
U. Ellwanger, C. Hugonie and A.M. Teixeira, The Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, Phys. Rept. 496 (2010) 1 [0910.1785]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2010
-
[62]
P. Jackson and C. Rogan, Recursive Jigsaw Reconstruction: HEP event analysis in the presence of kinematic and combinatoric ambiguities, Phys. Rev. D 96 (2017) 112007 [1705.10733]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2017
-
[63]
P. Jackson, C. Rogan and M. Santoni, Sparticles in motion: Analyzing compressed SUSY scenarios with a new method of event reconstruction, Phys. Rev. D 95 (2017) 035031 [1607.08307]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2017
-
[64]
J.A. Nelder and R. Mead, A Simplex Method for Function Minimization, Comput. J. 7 (1965) 308
work page 1965
-
[65]
B. Fuks and M. Goodsell, Implementation of a search for electroweakinos with soft di-leptons and jigsaw variables (139/fb; ATLAS-SUSY-2018-16), 2025. 10.14428/DVN/1CPXHX
-
[66]
Araz, Speysidehep/spey: v0.2.4, June, 2025
J.Y. Araz, Speysidehep/spey: v0.2.4, June, 2025. 10.5281/zenodo.15738836
-
[67]
Araz, Speysidehep/spey-pyhf: v0.2.0, Feb., 2025
J.Y. Araz, Speysidehep/spey-pyhf: v0.2.0, Feb., 2025. 10.5281/zenodo.14945825
-
[68]
Hunting Quasi-Degenerate Higgsinos
Z. Han, G.D. Kribs, A. Martin and A. Menon, Hunting quasidegenerate Higgsinos, Phys. Rev. D 89 (2014) 075007 [1401.1235]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2014
-
[69]
H. Baer, A. Mustafayev and X. Tata, Monojet plus soft dilepton signal from light higgsino pair production at LHC14, Phys. Rev. D 90 (2014) 115007 [1409.7058]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2014
-
[70]
A boost for the EW SUSY hunt: monojet-like search for compressed sleptons at LHC14 with 100 fb^-1
A. Barr and J. Scoville, A boost for the EW SUSY hunt: monojet-like search for compressed sleptons at LHC14 with 100 fb−1, JHEP 04 (2015) 147 [1501.02511]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2015
-
[71]
Matching matrix elements and shower evolution for top-quark production in hadronic collisions
M.L. Mangano, M. Moretti, F. Piccinini and M. Treccani, Matching matrix elements and shower evolution for top-quark production in hadronic collisions, JHEP 01 (2007) 013 [hep-ph/0611129]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2007
-
[72]
QCD radiation in the production of heavy colored particles at the LHC
J. Alwall, S. de Visscher and F. Maltoni, QCD radiation in the production of heavy colored particles at the LHC, JHEP 02 (2009) 017 [0810.5350]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2009
-
[73]
J. Alwall, R. Frederix, S. Frixione, V. Hirschi, F. Maltoni, O. Mattelaer et al., The automated computation of tree-level and next-to-leading order differential cross sections, and their matching to parton shower simulations, JHEP 07 (2014) 079 [1405.0301]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2014
-
[74]
UFO - The Universal FeynRules Output
C. Degrande, C. Duhr, B. Fuks, D. Grellscheid, O. Mattelaer and T. Reiter,UFO - The Universal FeynRules Output, Comput. Phys. Commun. 183 (2012) 1201 [1108.2040]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2012
-
[75]
Darm ´e et al., UFO 2.0: the ‘Universal Feynman Output’ format, Eur
L. Darm ´e et al., UFO 2.0: the ‘Universal Feynman Output’ format, Eur. Phys. J. C 83 (2023) 631 [2304.09883]
-
[76]
A superspace module for the FeynRules package
C. Duhr and B. Fuks, A superspace module for the FeynRules package, Comput. Phys. Commun. 182 (2011) 2404 [1102.4191]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2011
- [77]
-
[78]
LHAPDF6: parton density access in the LHC precision era
A. Buckley, J. Ferrando, S. Lloyd, K. Nordstr ¨om, B. Page, M. R¨ ufenacht et al.,LHAPDF6: parton density access in the LHC precision era, Eur. Phys. J. C 75 (2015) 132 [1412.7420]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2015
-
[79]
A comprehensive guide to the physics and usage of PYTHIA 8.3
C. Bierlich et al., A comprehensive guide to the physics and usage of PYTHIA 8.3, SciPost Phys. Codeb. 2022 (2022) 8 [2203.11601]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2022
-
[80]
B. Fuks, M. Klasen, D.R. Lamprea and M. Rothering, Precision predictions for electroweak superpartner production at hadron colliders with Resummino, Eur. Phys. J. C 73 (2013) 2480 [1304.0790]
work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2013
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.