Higgs-strahlung at the LHC in the inert doublet model

Abstract

$pp \to W^{\pm} h, Zh$ processes at the LHC are studied in the framework of the inert doublet model (IDM). To quantify the effects of the IDM and their observability in these processes we revisit the NLO (QCD and EW) predictions in the Standard Model (SM) and their uncertainty. Taking all available current constraints on the parameter space of the IDM, we consider both the case of the IDM providing a good Dark Matter (DM) candidate within the freeze-out mechanism as well as when the DM restrictions are relaxed. In the former, deviations from the SM of only a few per mil in these cross sections at the LHC are found and may not be measured. In the latter, the deviations can reach a few percents and should be observable. Smaller discrepancies in this case require that the theoretical uncertainties be improved, in particular those arising from the parton distribution functions (PDFs). We stress the importance of the photon-induced real corrections and the need for further improvement in the extraction of the photon PDF. The analysis also showcases the development and exploitation of our automated tool for the computation of one-loop electroweak and QCD corrections for a New Physics model with internal tests such as those concerning the soft and collinear parts provided through both dipole subtraction and phase space slicing besides tests for ultra-violet finiteness and gauge-parameter independence.