Recent developments in CMS fast simulation

Abstract

CMS has developed a fast detector simulation package, which serves as a fast and reliable alternative to the detailed GEANT4-based (full) simulation, and enables efficient simulation of large numbers of standard model and new physics events. Fast simulation becomes particularly important with the current increase in the LHC luminosity. Here, I will discuss the basic principles behind the CMS fast simulation framework, and how they are implemented in the different detector components in order to simulate and reconstruct sufficiently accurate physics objects for analysis. I will focus on recent developments in tracking and geometry interface, which improve the flexibility and emulation performance of the framework, and allow a better synchronization with the full simulation. I will then show how these developments have led to an improved agreement of basic analysis objects and event variables between fast and full simulation.