# B. Track Parameterization

Several track parameterizations are used in DELPHI. During the track reconstruction, TER and TKR forms are used (stored in the TE and TK TANAGRA banks respectively). For track extrapolation and fitting, the EXX form is used. The perigee parameters define the track at its point of closest approach to a reference point (usually the origin). Because the reference point is implicit, only five parameters are required. The other parameterizations also define the distance from the origin (in either or ) at which they apply. It is the perigee parameters and their weight matrix (inverse covariance matrix) that are stored on the DST and used in most of the subsequent analysis.

 TER or TKR or EXX or [sic] Perigee

The parameters are the cylindrical position coordinates and are the Cartesian position coordinates (in cm). The cylindrical forms are used mostly in the barrel and the Cartesians mostly in the endcaps. and are, respectively, the polar and azimuthal track directions at the specified point. is the azimuthal angle, relative to a radial track ( ). All angles are in radians.

The particle's momentum components are given by

 (B.1)

is the momentum (in ), the charge (relative to that of the proton), and the track curvature (in ), i.e. in the central region, where the magnetic field is parallel to the -axis,

 (B.2)

where is the track's radius of curvature in the plane, and is the magnetic field ( ).

is the geometric impact parameter, whose magnitude gives the distance from the origin (or other reference point) to the perigee, the point of the track's closest approach in the plane. The sign of is positive if the track passes to the right of the origin, when looking along (see figure B.1).B.1

Formally,

 (B.3)

where is the vector from the origin to the perigee, is a unit vector along the track direction there, and is a unit vector along the -axis. The position of the perigee is thus given by

 (B.4)

For lifetime studies, it is often convenient to use another signing convention: the lifetime-signed impact parameter. In this case, a positive sign is assigned if the track intersects the direction vector (often estimated from the thrust axis) of a presumed decaying particle in front of the reference point (usually the beamspot or reconstructed primary vertex). For a large boost, the average lifetime-signed impact parameter is proportional to the decay lifetime [154]. Since we can reconstruct the vertex directly, this method and the lifetime signing convention are not used in this thesis.