Method for High Accuracy Multiplicity Correlation Measurements

Abstract

A novel method for measuring particle multiplicity correlations is presented. The method takes reduced acceptance and detection efficiency into account, in a purely statistical manner. The method does therefore not require any information from simulations - only knowledge of the detectors capability. The method provides the ability to measure forward-backward particle multiplicity correlations with high accuracy and negligible bias. The validity of the method is provided through numerous simulations. The correlation values calculated from carefully selected detection acceptances and efficiencies are compared to the correlation values at the event-generator level. Further validity to the method is given by incorporating different event generators into the simulations. Although the emphasis is on fwd-bwd correlations, the method can be extended to other multiplicity correlation measurements.