Optimisation of clustering algorithms for the reconstruction of events started by a 1 GeV photon beam in a segmented BGO calorimeter

Three different clustering algorithms have been implemented to reconstruct the response of a segmented BGO calorimeter to electromagnetic showers and hadrons. The ability of each algorithm to identify the number of interactin g particles and to attribute to each particle the appropriate energy, has b een assessed by comparison to various reactions simulated with the GEANT co de. General considerations on the calorimeter response are made. A few sign ificant reaction channels are discussed in detail as regards cluster identi fication and background reduction with each clustering technique. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.