Abstract
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research operates the Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
which hosts detectors such as ATLAS that enable precision measurements and searches for new
phenomena of physics. As the LHC progresses toward the High-Luminosity (HL) era, increasing
data volumes and harsher detector environments demand both improved analysis methods and
robust instrumentation.
This work addresses these challenges and converts them into opportunities through several interconnected
strands: performance analysis of the ATLAS detector, upgrades to environmental
monitoring within the detector, and technology transfer beyond particle physics.
The combined performance study of the ATLAS detector during Run 2 was conducted using
the electron identification and reconstruction efficiencies from the Tag-and-Probe method. The
results showed good agreement between the Fast and Full simulations, with efficiencies approaching
99% at high momenta but dropping to 92% at low momenta. Scale factors were derived to
compensate for the differences between the two simulation approaches using the EGamma Tag-
And-Probe tool. These findings also informed the future development of the Fast Simulation
programme.
The upgrades to the environmental monitoring required the development of novel fibre optic
sensors as part of the ATLAS Inner Tracker upgrade for the HL-LHC. Long-period gratings
and Fibre Bragg Grating sensors, resistant to harsh radiation environments and sensitive to
temperature, dose, and humidity, were developed and tested for quality and calibration. The
sensors maintained functionality even after exposure to a 2 MGy dose of total ionising radiation,
demonstrating their suitability for long-term humidity monitoring to keep the Inner Tracker dry.
Finally, the environmental monitoring expertise gained at ATLAS was transferred to agriculture
through an Internet of Things-based greenhouse monitoring system at the University of
Johannesburg. This system performed data preparation and analysis, tracking temperature and
humidity before and after crop production to optimise yield. While greenhouse temperatures
exceeded recommended values (ą 45 ˝C), tomatoes and spinach still grew successfully in other
areas of the greenhouse, indicating potential for improved management strategies.
Overall, this study demonstrates how advanced data analysis and instrumentation developed for
particle physics can improve detector performance at the LHC and, through technology transfer,
provide practical benefits for agricultural monitoring and crop yield optimisation.