experimental physics - What are the main algorithms the LHC particle detectors use to reconstruct decay pathways?

I am just starting to look into how we understand the data from particle collisions.

My question is, what are the algorithms or ways that these detectors interpret the data? Are there standard approaches? Or if not, what are some good papers or places to look to get started in learning more about the implementation and/or details of how this works?

So far I haven't dug into any textbooks, but many articles on the web and this was somewhat helpful in pointing to where to look:

http://arstechnica.com/science/2010/03/all-about-particle-smashers-part-ii/

So from my understanding so far, there are a few different LCH "experiments", which are physical structures that are optimized to focus on specific aspects of data from a collision event. The detector measures all kinds of particle emissions and changes in electrical fields, and then seems to try to backtrack and figure out all the emission/decay events that might have taken place in that split second.

From my understanding so far, basically the computer programs used to compute these possible "decay pathways" must be using some standard algorithms or something, and must have built into them all possible particle emission pathways (like all possible Feynman diagrams if there is such a thing).

Are there any good resources or standard algorithms/approaches to understanding how particle detectors analyze their data?

Answer

Well, if you have the time... CERN has all the technical design reports for its detectors online at http://cds.cern.ch/. They are excellent reading material.

Start with a search for "ATLAS technical design report" and "CMS technical design report" and work your way trough the references in those documents. Once you understand the geometry of the detectors (not a small feat), you can start reading about "trigger algorithms" and "reconstruction algorithms". You may have to pick up a thing or two about particle matter interactions and the GEANT simulation software.

Little warning... it took me almost two years to read trough just the parts that were important to my work...