Double parton interactions with a Z+2 jets signature in proton-proton collisions at the LHC

The subject of this book is the research performed for a Ph.D. programme in the field of High Energy Physics. Researchers in this field search for the most fundamental building blocks of the universe, which are called particles. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the most powerful particle collider ever built and collides protons with an unprecedented energy. Protons are composite particles , consisting of particles called quarks and gluons, together referred to as partons. The interesting part of proton collisions for physics analysis is usually caused by only one pair of partons. In a small fraction of collisions, there are two energetic pairs of partons that collide. Such an event is depicted as a “Double Parton Interaction” (DPI). In the first half of this book the theory behind DPI is explored, it is explained how proton collisions can be simulated by using Monte Carlo techniques and the design of the ATLAS detector is discussed. The second half of the book provides a detailed insight into the analysis of DPI events in which one colliding pair of partons creates a so-called Z boson and the other colliding pair creates two jets of particles.