Towards data-driven surrogate models of the European XFEL

The European XFEL is a scientific research facility that produces ultra-short and ultra-brilliant x-ray pulses. The facility comprises four main sections: a linear electron accelerator, undulators, photon beamlines, and experimental hutches. The entire facility is densely instrumented with various diagnostic devices that produce a vast amount of diverse data. The objective of this work is to build a data-driven surrogate model of the machine to complement simplified physics-driven models. The sheer amount of diagnostic data available makes such a holistic approach possible and potentially invaluable. Although still in the early stages, data analysis and preliminary results already provide useful insights into the correlation between electron bunches and x-ray spectral properties. Furthermore, the goal of the program is not only to provide a surrogate model of the machine, but also an inverse one; i.e., a systematic method to obtain self-consistent machine setting ranges that reliably produce the desired photon beam properties.