119239023
Multi-lepton signals of the Higgs boson
A bstractThe possibility of searching for the Higgs boson in channels with multiple non-resonant leptons is evaluated in light of recent advances in multi-lepton search techniques at the LHC. The total multi-lepton Higgs signal exceeds the four lepton gold-plated resonant mode, but is spread over many channels with same-sign di-lepton, tri-lepton, and four lepton final states. While any individual channel alone is not significant, the exclusive combination across multiple channels is shown to provide a sensitivity nearly comparable to other discovery level searches for the Higgs boson. We estimate that with 5 fb−1 of data, existing non-optimized multi-lepton searches at the LHC could exclude the Higgs boson to 95 % CL at a few times the predicted Standard Model cross section in the mass range 120 − 150 GeV. Refinements focused specifically on the Higgs boson signal are suggested that would further increase sensitivity. We illustrate the possibility of discerning patterns in production and decay modes using correlations across multiple channels by comparing sensitivities to Standard Model, Fermi-phobic, and b-phobic Higgs bosons.
118380500
Simplified Models for LHC New Physics Searches
This document proposes a collection of simplified models relevant to the design of new-physics searches at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the characterization of their results. Both ATLAS and CMS have already presented some results in terms of simplified models, and we encourage them to continue and expand this effort, which supplements both signature-based results and benchmark model interpretations. A simplified model is defined by an effective Lagrangian describing the interactions of a small number of new particles. Simplified models can equally well be described by a small number of masses and cross-sections. These parameters are directly related to collider physics observables, making simplified models a particularly effective framework for evaluating searches and a useful starting point for characterizing positive signals of new physics. This document serves as an official summary of the results from the 'Topologies for Early LHC Searches' workshop, held at SLAC in September of 2010, the purpose of which was to develop a set of representative models that can be used to cover all relevant phase space in experimental searches. Particular emphasis is placed on searches relevant for the first similar to 50-500 pb(-1) of data and those motivated by supersymmetric models. This note largely summarizes material posted at http://lhcnewphysics.org/, which includes simplified model definitions, Monte Carlo material, and supporting contacts within the theory community. We also comment on future developments that may be useful as more data is gathered and analyzed by the experiments.
126165393
Backgrounds To Higgs Boson Searches from $W \gamma^* -> l \nu l (l)$ Asymmetric Internal Conversion
118628340
Recovering Particle Masses from Missing Energy Signatures with Displaced Tracks
If physics beyond the Standard Model contains metastable new particle states, its signatures may manifest themselves at the LHC through the presence of displaced vertices or displaced tracks. Such signatures are common in low-scale supersymmetry breaking scenarios as well as a host of other well-studied new physics models. Here we analyze the kinematics of dual cascade decays with missing energy resulting from a stable non-interacting new particle state at the bottom of the decay chain. We find that if the final step of the decay chain involves a metastable particle, the resulting presence of displaced tracks provides strong constraints with which to solve for the unknown kinematic quantities lost through missing energy. In addition we develop techniques with which to recover all kinematic unknowns, even in situations where the unknown quantities outnumber the constraints. These techniques can all be performed using a very small number of events and can thus be applied to very early discovery level searches at the LHC.
119186814
Sudden variations in the speed of sound during inflation: features in the power spectrum and bispectrum
We employ the formalism of the effective field theory of inflation to study the effects of a sudden change in the speed of sound of the inflationary perturbations. Such an event generates a feature with high frequency oscillations both in the two- and in the three-point functions of the curvature fluctuations. We study, at first order in the magnitude of the change of the speed of sound, the dependence of the power spectrum and of the bispectrum on the duration of the change. In the limit of a very short duration, the oscillations in the power spectrum persist up to very large momenta and the amplitude of the feature in the bispectrum diverges while its location moves to increasing momenta.
118605767
Re-interpreting the Oxbridge stransverse mass variable MT2 in general cases
A bstractWe extend the range of possible applications of MT2 type analyses to decay chains with multiple invisible particles, as well as to asymmetric event topologies with different parent and/or different children particles. We advocate two possible approaches. In the first, we introduce suitably defined 3 + 1-dimensional analogues of the MT2 variable, which take into account all relevant on-shell kinematic constraints in a given event topology. The second approach utilizes the conventional MT2 variable, but its kinematic endpoint is suitably reinterpreted on a case by case basis, depending on the specific event topology at hand. We provide the general prescription for this reinterpretation, including the formulas relating the measured MT2 endpoint (as a function of the test masses of all the invisible particles) to the underlying physical mass spectrum. We also provide analytical formulas for the shape of the differential distribution of the doubly projected $ {M_{{T{2_{\bot }}}}} $ variable for the ten possible event topologies with one visible particle and up to two invisible particles per decay chain. We illustrate our results with the example of leptonic chargino decays $ {{\widetilde{\chi}}^{+}}\to {\ell^{+}}\nu {{\widetilde{\chi}}^0} $ in supersymmetry.
53975683
Geolocating the Higgs Boson Candidate at the LHC
The latest results from the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) unequivocally confirm the existence of a resonance, X, with mass near 125 GeV which could be the Higgs boson of the Standard Model. Measuring the properties (quantum numbers and couplings) of this resonance is of paramount importance. Initial analyses by the LHC collaborations disfavor specific alternative benchmark hypotheses, e.g. pure pseudoscalars or gravitons. However, this is just the first step in a long-term program of detailed measurements. We consider the most general set of operators in the decay channels X → ZZ,WW,Zγ, γγ and derive the constraint implied by the measured rate. This allows us to provide a useful parametrization of the orthogonal independent Higgs coupling degrees of freedom as coordinates on a suitably defined sphere.
118531346
Tuning supersymmetric models at the LHC: a comparative analysis at two-loop level.
A bstractWe provide a comparative study of the fine tuning amount (Δ) at the two-loop leading log level in supersymmetric models commonly used in SUSY searches at the LHC. These are the constrained MSSM (CMSSM), non-universal Higgs masses models (NUHM1, NUHM2), non-universal gaugino masses model (NUGM) and GUT related gaugino masses models (NUGMd). Two definitions of the fine tuning are used, the first (Δmax) measures maximal fine-tuning w.r.t. individual parameters while the second (Δq) adds their contribution in “quadrature”. As a direct consequence of two theoretical constraints (the EW minimum conditions), fine tuning (Δq) emerges at the mathematical level as a suppressing factor (effective prior) of the averaged likelihood ($ L $) under the priors, under the integral of the global probability of measuring the data (Bayesian evidence p(D)). For each model, there is little difference between Δq, Δmax in the region allowed by the data, with similar behaviour as functions of the Higgs, gluino, stop mass or SUSY scale ($ {m_{\text{SUSY}}} = {\left( {{m_{{\overline t 1}}}{m_{{\overline t 2}}}} \right)^{{{{1} \left/ {2} \right.}}}} $) or dark matter and g − 2 constraints. The analysis has the advantage that by replacing any of these mass scales or constraints by their latest bounds one easily infers for each model the value of Δq, Δmax or vice versa. For all models, minimal fine tuning is achieved for Mhiggs near 115 GeV with a Δq ≈ Δmax ≈ 10 to 100 depending on the model, and in the CMSSM this is actually a global minimum. Due to a strong (≈ exponential) dependence of Δ on Mhiggs, for a Higgs mass near 125 GeV, the above values of Δq ≈ Δmax increase to between 500 and 1000. Possible corrections to these values are briefly discussed.
119191013
The role of interference in unraveling the ZZ-couplings of the newly discovered boson at the LHC
We present a general procedure for measuring the tensor structure of the coupling of the scalar Higgs-like boson recently discovered at the LHC to two Z bosons, including the effects of interference among different operators. To motivate our concern with this interference, we explore the parameter space of the couplings in the effective theory describing these interactions and illustrate the effects of interference on the differential dilepton mass distributions. Kinematic discriminants for performing coupling measurements that utilize the effects of interference are developed and described. We present projections for the sensitivity of coupling measurements that use these discriminants in future LHC operation in a variety of physics scenarios.