Does the HyperCP evidence for the decay Sigma+ -->pmu+mu- indicate a light pseudoscalar Higgs boson?

The HyperCP Collaboration has observed three events for the decay Sigma+ -->p mu+mu- which may be interpreted as a new particle of mass 214.3 MeV. However, existing data from kaon and B-meson decays provide stringent constraints on the construction of models that support this interpretation. In this Letter we show that the "HyperCP particle" can be identified with the light pseudoscalar Higgs boson in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model, the A10. In this model there are regions of parameter space where the A10 can satisfy all the existing constraints from kaon and B-meson decays and mediate Sigma+ -->p mu+mu- at a level consistent with the HyperCP observation.     

Gravitino dark matter in split supersymmetry with bilinear R-parity violation

In Split-SUSY with BRpV we show that the Gravitino DM solution is consistent with experimental evidence as regards its relic density and life time. We arrive at this conclusion by performing a complete numerical and algebraic study of the parameter space, including constraints from the recently determined Higgs mass, updated neutrino physics, and BBN constraints on NLSP decays. The Higgs mass requires a relatively low Split-SUSY mass scale, which is naturally smaller than usual values for reheating temperature, allowing the use of the standard expression for the relic density. We include restrictions from neutrino physics with three generations, and we notice that the gravitino decay width depends on the atmospheric neutrino mass scale. We calculate the neutralino decay rate and find it consistent with BBN. We mention some implications on indirect DM searches.     

Low-energy theorems in Higgs physics

We present low-energy theorems for the calculation of loop amplitudes with external scalar or pseudoscalar Higgs bosons which are light compared to the loop particles. Starting from existing lowest-order versions of these theorems, we show how their applicability may be extended to the two-loop level. To illustrate the usefulness of these theorems, we discuss a number of applications to Higgs production and decay at and beyond the one-loop order.     

Nonlinear supersymmetric standard model and its phenomenology

We consider the Higgs sector of a nonlinear supersymmetric standard model. Analytic solutions for some useful mass relations are derived. We investigate physical consequences of the model for LEP 1, LEP 2, and 500, 1000 resp. 2000 GeV LCs, and show that the neutral scalar Higgs bosons will most probably enable LC 500, 1000, 2000 to test the model conclusively, whereas at LEP 1, 2 only a part of the parameter space can be explored. As for the two pseudoscalar Higgs bosons the lighter one cannot be detected at any of the considered colliders, whereas the heavier one could possibly be detected with about “10 percent probability” at LC 1000 and LC 2000.     

Scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs production in association with a top-antitop pair

We present the calculation of scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs production in association with a top-antitop pair to the next-to-leading order (NLO) accuracy in QCD, interfaced with parton showers according to the MC@NLO formalism. We apply our results to the cases of light and very light Higgs boson production at the LHC, giving results for total rates as well as for sample differential distributions, relevant to the Higgs, to the top quarks, and to their decay products. This work constitutes the first phenomenological application of aMC@NLO, a fully automated approach to complete event generation at NLO in QCD.     

CP-Violation parameters in the two Higgs doublets model

The perturbative unitarity constraints on the CP-violation parameters in the neutral scalar mesons sector are examined for the standard model extension involving two scalar Higgs doublets. The top- and bottom-quark condensates approach is employed, but we also use the alternative renormalization group approach based on the assumption that the coupling constants of the hard Yukawa and self-coupling scalar mesons interactions reach approximate infrared fixed points at the electroweak scale. The perturbative unification scale,F _X , the charged Higgs bosons mass, the complex CP-violation phase and eventually the ratio of vacuum expectation values of the neutral scalar fields constitute the sole free parameters. We evaluate numerically the CP-violation parameters, Imz _i , representing the mixing of scalar and pseudoscalar mesons as a function of these parameters. The allowed ranges for Imz _i are found to lie far below the unitarity bounds obtained by Weinberg.     

Prospects for discovery and spin discrimination of dark matter in Higgs portal DM models and their extensions at 100 TeV <Emphasis Type="Italic">pp</Emphasis> collider

We study the discovery and discriminating prospects of the Higgs portal dark matter (DM) models for scalar, fermion and vector DM and their extensions in proton–proton (pp) collisions. The \(t\bar{t}+\)DM associated production in dileptonic final states is considered, in which the stransverse mass of two leptons is found to be effective in suppressing the Standard Model backgrounds along with the missing transverse energy and the angle between two leptons. The distributions of missing transverse energy and polar angle between two leptons are used for a discrimination of the spin nature of DM. For the proposed benchmark points, the discovery/exclusion can be made with an integrated luminosity less than 1 ab\(^{-1}\) given a 1% systematic uncertainty, while the spin discrimination require integrated luminosity of a few O(10) ab\(^{-1}\) given a 0.5% systematic uncertainty. The DM phenomenology is also discussed. A consistent DM candidate can be obtained either by extending our model where the Higgs portal couples to excited dark states that decay into DM, or modifying the coupling form into pseudoscalar.     

Linearly polarized gluons and the Higgs transverse momentum distribution

We study how gluons carrying linear polarization inside an unpolarized hadron contribute to the transverse momentum distribution of Higgs bosons produced in hadronic collisions. They modify the distribution produced by unpolarized gluons in a characteristic way that could be used to determine whether the Higgs boson is a scalar or a pseudoscalar particle.     

Characterizing Higgs portal dark matter models at the ILC

We study the dark matter (DM) discovery prospect and its spin discrimination in the theoretical framework of gauge invariant and renormalizable Higgs portal DM models at the ILC with \(\sqrt{s} = 500\) GeV. In such models, the DM pair is produced in association with a Z boson. In the case of the singlet scalar DM, the mediator is just the SM Higgs boson, whereas for the fermion or vector DM there is an additional singlet scalar mediator that mixes with the SM Higgs boson, which produces significant observable differences. After careful investigation of the signal and backgrounds both at parton level and at detector level, we find the signal with hadronically decaying Z boson provides a better search sensitivity than the signal with leptonically decaying Z boson. Taking the fermion DM model as a benchmark scenario, when the DM-mediator coupling \(g_\chi \) is relatively small, the DM signals are discoverable only for benchmark points with relatively light scalar mediator \(H_2\). The spin discriminating from scalar DM is always promising, while it is difficult to discriminate from vector DM. As for \(g_\chi \) approaching the perturbative limit, benchmark points with the mediator \(H_2\) in the full mass region of interest are discoverable. The spin discriminating aspects from both the scalar and the fermion DM are quite promising.     

Higgs boson searches in CP-conserving and CP-violating MSSM scenarios with the DELPHI detector

This paper presents the final interpretation of the results from DELPHI on the searches for Higgs bosons in the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM). A few representative scenarios are considered, that include CP conservation and explicit CP violation in the Higgs sector. The experimental results encompass the searches for neutral Higgs bosons at LEP1 and LEP2 in final states as expected in the MSSM, as well as LEP2 searches for charged Higgs bosons and for neutral Higgs bosons decaying into hadrons independent of the quark flavour. The data reveal no significant excess with respect to background expectations. The results are translated into excluded regions of the parameter space in the various scenarios. In the CP-conserving case, these lead to limits on the masses of the lightest scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs bosons, h and A, and on tanβ. The dependence of these limits on the top quark mass is discussed. Allowing for CP violation reduces the experimental sensitivity to Higgs bosons. It is shown that this effect depends strongly on the values of the parameters responsible for CP violation in the Higgs sector.     

A possible interpretation of the Higgs mass by the cosmological attractive relaxion

Recently, a novel idea [1] has been proposed to relax the electroweak hierarchy problem through the cosmological inflation and the axion periotic potential. Here, we further assume that only the attractive inflation is needed to explain the light mass of the Higgs boson, where we do not need a specified periodic potential of the axion field. Attractive inflation during the early universe drives the Higgs boson mass from the large value in the early universe to the small value at present, where the Higgs mass is an evolving parameter of the Universe. Thus, the small Higgs mass can technically originate from the cosmological evolution rather than dynamical symmetry or anthropics. Further, we study the possible collider signals or constraints at a future lepton collier and the possible constraints from the muon anomalous magnetic moment. A concrete attractive relaxion model is also discussed, which is consistent with the data of Planck 2015.     

Note on QCD corrections to hadronic Higgs decay

The O(_s) QCD correction to the hadronic decay of a scalar Higgs boson, for which contradicting results have been reported, is calculated. Our result is in agreement with that of Braaten and Leveille but disagrees with that of Janot. The possible origin of the discrepancy is discussed. The total hadronic decay rate and the differential rate to q g of a pseudoscalar Higgs boson are also presented.     

Search for a lighter Higgs boson in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model

Following the discovery of the Higgs boson with a mass of approximately 125 Ge V at the LHC, many studies have been performed from both the theoretical and experimental viewpoints to search for a new Higgs Boson that is lighter than 125 Ge V. We explore the possibility of constraining a lighter neutral scalar Higgs boson h_1 and a lighter pseudo-scalar Higgs boson a_1 in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model by restricting the next-to-lightest scalar Higgs boson h_2 to be the one observed at the LHC after applying the phenomenological constraints and those from experimental measurements. Such lighter particles are not yet completely excluded by the latest results of the search for a lighter Higgs boson in the diphoton decay channel from LHC data. Our results show that some new constraints on the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model could be obtained for a lighter scalar Higgs boson at the LHC if such a search is performed by experimental collaborations and more data. The potentials of discovery for other interesting decay channels of such a lighter neutral scalar or pseudo-scalar particle are also discussed.     

Solving the little hierarchy problem with a light singlet and supersymmetric mass terms

A generalization of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Model (NMSSM) is studied in which an explicit μ-term as well as a small supersymmetric mass term for the singlet superfield are incorporated. We study the possibility of raising the Standard Model-like Higgs mass at tree level through its mixing with a light, mostly-singlet, CP-even scalar. We are able to generate Higgs boson masses up to 145 GeV with top squarks below 1.1 TeV and without the need to fine tune parameters in the scalar potential. This model yields light singlet-like scalars and pseudoscalars passing all collider constraints.     

Precision measurements of Higgs-chargino couplings in chargino pair production at a muon collider

We study chargino pair production on the heavy Higgs resonances at a muon collider in the MSSM. At GeV cross sections up to 2 pb are reached depending on the supersymmetric scenario and the beam energy spread. The resonances of the scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs bosons may be separated for . Our aim is to determine the ratio of the chargino couplings to the heavy scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs boson independently of the specific chargino decay characteristics. The precision of the measurement depends on the energy resolution of the muon collider and on the error in the measurement of the cross sections of the non-Higgs channels including an irreducible standard model background. With a high energy resolution the systematic error can be reduced to the order of a few percent.Received: 6 March 2003, Revised: 21 May 2003, Published online: 3 July 2003     

Exploring the hyperchargeless Higgs triplet model up to the Planck scale

We examine an extension of the SM Higgs sector by a Higgs triplet taking into consideration the discovery of a Higgs-like particle at the LHC with mass around 125 GeV. We evaluate the bounds on the scalar potential through the unitarity of the scattering matrix. Considering the cases with and without \(\mathbb {Z}_2\)-symmetry of the extra triplet, we derive constraints on the parameter space. We identify the region of the parameter space that corresponds to the stability and metastability of the electroweak vacuum. We also show that at large field values the scalar potential of this model is suitable to explain inflation.     

Vector Higgs portal dark matter and the invisible Higgs

The Higgs sector of the Standard Model offers a unique probe of the hidden sector. In this work, we explore the possibility of renormalizable Higgs couplings to the hidden sector vector fields which can constitute dark matter (DM). Abelian gauge sectors with minimal field content, necessary to render the gauge fields massive, have a natural Z₂ parity. This symmetry ensures stability of the vector fields making them viable dark matter candidates, while evading the usual electroweak constraints. We illustrate this idea with the Stückelberg and Higgs mechanisms. Vector DM is consistent with the WMAP, XENON100, and LHC constraints, while it can affect significantly the invisible Higgs decay. Due to the enhanced branching ratio for the Higgs decay into the longitudinal components of the vector field, the vector Higgs portal provides an efficient way to hide the Higgs at the LHC. This could be the reason why the latest combined ATLAS/CMS data did not bring evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson.     

Light pseudoscalar and scalar particles in quarkonium radiative decays: Estimates from QCD sum rules

From QCD sum rules the model-independent estimates of widths of radiative decaysJ/ψ→Pγ,Sγ and ?→Pγ,Sγ are obtained with 0(α_S) accuracy, whereP (S) is a light pseudoscalar (scalar) particle of the axion (Higgs boson) type. Deviation of QCD predictions from the Wilczek nonrelativistic formula for these widths turned out to be inessential.     

Littlest Higgs model and <Emphasis Type="Italic">W</Emphasis> pair production at international linear collider

Among the viable alternatives to the standard Higgs mechanism is the recently proposed Little Higgs model. The advantage here is that the model has an elementary light neutral scalar particle, which arises dynamically as against its ad hoc introduction in the standard model. The model also avoids hierarchy problem. We have investigated the W pair production at ILC to study the littlest Higgs model using different observables. Specifically, polarization fraction of W boson is expected to be measured very accurately at ILC. We use this to put limit on the scale parameter, f, in the model.      

Two-and three-body decay modes of SUSY Higgs particles

We summarize the dominant decay modes of the neutral and charged Higgs bosons in the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model. While two-body decays are in general dominating, the branching ratios for three-body decays of the heavy scalar, pseudoscalar and charged Higgs bosons can be large below the thresholds if top quarks, W/Z bosons or heavy scalar bosons are involved. Analytical expressions have been derived for the partial decay widths and the physical implications of these decay modes are discussed.