Genetic Algorithm for Determination of the Event Collision Time and Particle Identification by Time-of-Flight at NICA SPD

Abstract

Particle identification is an important feature of the future SPD (Spin Physics Detector) experiment at the NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility) collider. In particular, the identification of particles with momenta up to a few GeV/c (with c the speed of light) by their time-of-flight facilitates the reconstruction of events of interest. The high time resolution of modern TOF (Time-Of-Flight) detectors demands the need to obtain the event collision time, t0, with comparable accuracy. While the determination of the collision time is feasible through the use of TOF signals supplemented by track reconstruction, it proves to be computationally expensive. In the presented study, a dedicated Genetic Algorithm is developed as a fast and accurate method to determine the proton–proton collision time by the measurements of the TOF detector at the SPD experiment. By using this reliable method for the t0 determination we compare different approaches for the particle identification procedure based on TOF signals.