What is the significance of transverse mass in experimental physics?

[mborn]

Hi all,

Just as the title says: What is transverse mass?
Why do experimentalists use it instead of the usual mass (if it is something different and not just a jargon)?

mborn

 

[ansgar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transverse_mass

 

[mborn]

Thanks ansgar, I also could find there "transverse energy" which was my second question.

~mborn