arXiv subjects

Michael Spannowsky

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Spannowsky.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Constraining the Unhiggs with LHC data

Recent measurements by the ATLAS and CMS experiments have excluded the Standard Model Higgs boson in the high mass region, even if it is produced with a significantly smaller cross section than expected. The bounds are dominated by the non-observation of a signal in the clean gold-plated mode $h\to ZZ\to 4\ell$ and, hence, are directly related to the special role of the Higgs in electroweak symmetry breaking. A smaller cross section in comparison to the Standard Model is expected if the Higgs is realized as an unparticle in the Unhiggs scenario. With the LHC probing $σ/σ^{SM}<1$, we can therefore reinterpret the $h\to ZZ\to 4\ell$ exclusion limits as bounds on the Unhiggs' scaling dimension. Throughout the high Higgs mass range, where we expect a large signal in the presence of the Standard Model Higgs for the 2011 ATLAS and CMS data sets, the observed limits translate into mild bounds on the Unhiggs scaling dimension in the high mass region.

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arXiv2012

The dependency of boosted tagging algorithms on the event colour structure

The impact of event colour structure on the performance of the Johns-Hopkins, CMS, HEPToptagger and N-Subjettiness algorithms is investigated by studying colour singlet and colour octet resonances decaying to top-quark pairs. Large differences in top-tagging efficiency are observed due to the different colour charge of each resonance. These differences are quantified as a function of the algorithm parameters, the jet size parameter and the probability to misidentify light quarks and gluons as top candidates. We suggest that future experimental searches would benefit from optimising the choice of algorithm parameters in order to minimise this source of model dependency.

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arXiv2012

Higgs self-coupling measurements at the LHC

Both the ATLAS and CMS collaborations have reported a Standard Model Higgs-like excess at around $m_h = 125$ GeV. If an SM-like Higgs particle is discovered in this particular mass range, an important additional test of the SM electroweak symmetry breaking sector is the measurement of the Higgs self-interactions. We investigate the prospects of measuring the Higgs self-coupling for $m_h=125 \gev$ in the dominant SM decay channels in boosted and unboosted kinematical regimes. We further enhance sensitivity by considering dihiggs systems recoiling against a hard jet. This configuration exhibits a large sensitivity to the Higgs self-coupling which can be accessed in subjet-based analyses. Combining our analyses allows constraints to be set on the Higgs self-coupling at the LHC.

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arXiv2012

Measuring Higgs CP and couplings with hadronic event shapes

Experimental falsification or validation of the Standard Model of Particle Physics involves the measurement of the CP quantum number and couplings of the Higgs boson. Both ATLAS and CMS have reported an SM Higgs-like excess around m_H=125 GeV. In this mass range the properties of the Higgs boson can be extracted from an analysis of the azimuthal angle distribution of the two jets in pp->Hjj events. This channel is also important to measure the couplings of the Higgs boson to electroweak gauge bosons and fermions, hereby establishing the exceptional role of the Higgs boson in the Standard Model. Instead of exploiting the jet angular correlation, we show that hadronic event shapes exhibit substantial discriminative power to separate a CP even from a CP odd Higgs. Some event shapes even show an increased sensitivity to the Higgs CP compared to the azimuthal angle correlation. Constraining the Higgs couplings via a separation of the weak boson fusion and the gluon fusion Higgs production modes can be achieved applying similar strategies.

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arXiv2012

Unconstraining the Unhiggs

We investigate whether or not perturbative unitarity is preserved in the Unhiggs model for the scattering process of heavy quarks and longitudinal gauge bosons $\bar q q \to V_L^+ V_L^-$. With the Yukawa coupling given in the original formulation of the Unhiggs model, the model preserves unitarity for Unhiggs scaling dimensions $d\leq 1.5$. We examine the LHC phenomenology that is implied by the Unhiggs model in this parameter range in detail and discuss to what extent the LHC can test $d$ if an excess is measured in the phenomenologically clean $ZZ$ channel in the future or if the LHC measurement remains consistent with the background. We then make use of the AdS/CFT correspondence to derive a new Yukawa coupling that is conformally invariant at high energies, and show that with this Yukawa coupling the theory is unitary for $1 \leq d < 2$.

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arXiv2012

Stop searches in 2012

For this year's 8TeV run of the LHC we lay out different strategies to search for scalar top pairs. We show results for the hadronic and for the semi-leptonic channels based on hadronic top tagging. For the di-lepton channel we illustrate the impact of transverse mass variables. Each of our signal-to-background ratios ranges around unity for a stop mass around 400GeV. The combined signal significances show that dedicated stop searches are becoming sensitive over a non-negligible part of parameter space.

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arXiv2012

Evasive Higgs Maneuvers at the LHC

Non-standard decays of the Higgs boson produced at the Large Hadron Collider can lead to signatures which can easily be missed due to non-adapted trigger or search strategies. Keeping electroweak symmetry breaking Standard Model-like we classify the phenomenology of an evasive Higgs boson into three categories and discuss how they can be described in an effective field theory. We comment on how one can improve the search strategies to also detect such an evasive Higgs.

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arXiv2011

Results in Precision Multiboson+Jet Phenomenology

We review recent results in precision multiboson+jet phenomenology at the LHC. We discuss strategies how to compute these processes at NLO QCD and examine the impact of the perturbative corrections on the expected phenomenology, especially in the context of anomalous gauge boson couplings searches.

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arXiv2011

Top Tagging

Top tagging is a recent approach to identifying boosted hadronic top quarks. It avoids reconstructing individual top decay products and instead uses a jet algorithm to reconstruct the entire top decay. Quite generally, geometrically large jets including heavy particles (fat jets) can be analyzed on the level of their subjet constituents. LHC data will soon allow us to establish this new analysis method. We discuss different tagging algorithms, their critical QCD aspects, and currently available experimental results. For the development of taggers and their different applications this review should provide a firm theoretical and algorithmic background.

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arXiv2011

Structure of Fat Jets at the Tevatron and Beyond

Boosted resonances is a highly probable and enthusiastic scenario in any process probing the electroweak scale. Such objects when decaying into jets can easily blend with the cornucopia of jets from hard relative light QCD states. We review jet observables and algorithms that can contribute to the identification of highly boosted heavy jets and the possible searches that can make use of such substructure information. We also review previous studies by CDF on boosted jets and its measurements on specific jet shapes.

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arXiv2011

How to Improve Top Tagging

In time for the first tests on LHC data we introduce a set of improvements and tests of purely kinematic top tagging algorithms. First, we show how different jet algorithms can be used for different transverse momentum regimes. Combining pruning and filtering in the reconstruction can enhance the signal over background ratio significantly, while larger jet radii only give minor improvements. Finally, bottom tagging can be added to the top tagger, but at least for the HEPTopTagger does not improve the kinematic selection algorithm.

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arXiv2011

Ditau jets in Higgs searches

Understanding and identifying ditau jets -- jets consisting of pairs of tau particles, can be of crucial importance and may even turn out to be a necessity if the Higgs boson decays dominantly to new light scalars which, on the other hand, decay to tau pairs. As often seen in various models of BSM such as in the NMSSM, Higgs portals etc., the lightness of these new states ensures their large transverse momenta and, as a consequence, the collinearity of their decay products. We show that the non-standard signatures of these objects, which can easily be missed by standard analysis techniques, can be superbly exploited in an analysis based on subjet observables. When combined with additional selection strategies, this analysis can even facilitate an early discovery of the Higgs boson. To be specific, a light Higgs can be found with $S/\sqrt{B} \gtrsim 5$ from $\mathcal {L} \simeq 12 fb^{-1}$ of data. We combine all these observables into a single discriminating likelihood that can be employed toward the construction of a realistic and standalone ditau tagger.

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arXiv2011

Finding physics signals with shower deconstruction

We introduce shower deconstruction, a method to look for new physics in a hadronic environment. The method aims to be a full information approach using small jets. It assigns to each event a number chi that is an estimate of the ratio of the probability for a signal process to produce that event to the probability for a background process to produce that event. The analytic functions we derive to calculate these probabilities mimic what full event generators like Pythia or Herwig do and can be depicted in a diagrammatic way. As an example, we apply this method to a boosted Higgs boson produced in association with a Z-boson and show that this method can be useful to discriminate this signal from the Z+jets background.

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arXiv2011

Dark Matter from Minimal Flavor Violation

We consider theories of flavored dark matter, in which the dark matter particle is part of a multiplet transforming nontrivially under the flavor group of the Standard Model in a manner consistent with the principle of Minimal Flavor Violation (MFV). MFV automatically leads to the stability of the lightest state for a large number of flavor multiplets. If neutral, this particle is an excellent dark matter candidate. Furthermore, MFV implies specific patterns of mass splittings among the flavors of dark matter and governs the structure of the couplings between dark matter and ordinary particles, leading to a rich and predictive cosmology and phenomenology. We present an illustrative phenomenological study of an effective theory of a flavor SU(3)_Q triplet, gauge singlet scalar.

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arXiv2011

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 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 ~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.

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arXiv2011

$A^t_{FB}$ Meets LHC

The recent Tevatron measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry of the top quark shows an intriguing discrepancy with Standard Model expectations, particularly at large $\ttbar$ invariant masses. Measurements of this quantity are subtle at the LHC, due to its $pp$ initial state, however, one can define a forward-central-charge asymmetry which captures the physics. We study the capability of the LHC to measure this asymmetry and find that within the SM a measurement at the $5σ$ level is possible with roughly 60 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s} = 14$ TeV. If nature realizes a model which enhances the asymmetry (as is necessary to explain the Tevatron measurements), a significant difference from zero can be observed much earlier, perhaps even during early LHC running at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV. We further explore the capabilities of the 7 TeV LHC to discover resonances or contact interactions which modify the $\ttbar$ invariant mass distribution using recent boosted top tagging techniques. We find that TeV-scale color octet resonances can be discovered, even with small coupling strengths and that contact interactions can be probed at scales exceeding 6 TeV. Overall, the LHC has good potential to clarify the situation with regards to the Tevatron forward-backward measurement.

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arXiv2011

Precise predictions for (non-standard) W+photon+jet production

We report on a detailed investigation of the next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD corrections to $Wγ$+jet production at the Tevatron and the LHC using a fully-flexible parton-level Monte Carlo program. We include the full leptonic decay of the $W$, taking into account all off-shell and finite width effects, as well as non-standard $WWγ$ couplings. We find particularly sizable corrections for the currently allowed parameter range of anomalous couplings imposed by LEP data. In total the NLO differential distributions reveal a substantial phase space dependence of the corrections, leaving considerable sensitivity to anomalous couplings beyond scale uncertainty at large momentum transfers in the anomalous vertex.

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arXiv2011

Boosted Semileptonic Tops in Stop Decays

Top partner searches are one of the key aspects of new physics analyses at the LHC. We correct an earlier statement that supersymmetric top searches based on decays to semileptonic tops are not promising. Reconstructing the direction of the boosted leptonic top quark and correlating it with the measured missing transverse energy vector allows us to reduce the top pair background to an easily manageable level. In addition, reconstructing the full momentum of the leptonic top quark determines the stop mass based on an M_{T2} endpoint.

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