Higgs and SUSY searches at LHC

I start with a brief introduction to Higgs mechanism and supersymmetry. Then I discuss the theoretical expectations, current limits and search strategies for Higgs boson(s) at LHC — first in the SM and then in the MSSM. Finally I discuss the signatures and search strategies for the superparticles.     

Higgs searches at the LHC

We review the prospects for searches of the Standard Model Higgs boson at the LHC, based on detailed studies performed by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations. The search channels and strategies are described, resulting in the assessment of the discovery potential for the two experiments. We discuss the prospects for measurements in the Higgs sector. To cite this article: A. De Roeck, G. Polesello, C. R. Physique 8 (2007).     

General-purpose event generators for LHC physics

We review the physics basis, main features and use of general-purpose Monte Carlo event generators for the simulation of proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Topics included are: the generation of hard scattering matrix elements for processes of interest, at both leading and next-to-leading QCD perturbative order; their matching to approximate treatments of higher orders based on the showering approximation; the parton and dipole shower formulations; parton distribution functions for event generators; non-perturbative aspects such as soft QCD collisions, the underlying event and diffractive processes; the string and cluster models for hadron formation; the treatment of hadron and tau decays; the inclusion of QED radiation and beyond Standard Model processes. We describe the principal features of the Ariadne, Herwig++, Pythia 8 and Sherpa generators, together with the Rivet and Professor validation and tuning tools, and discuss the physics philosophy behind the proper use of these generators and tools. This review is aimed at phenomenologists wishing to understand better how parton-level predictions are translated into hadron-level events as well as experimentalists seeking a deeper insight into the tools available for signal and background simulation at the LHC.     

Significance calculation and a new analysis method in searching for new physics at the LHC

The LHC experiments have great potential in discovering many possible new particles up to the TeV scale. The significance calculation of an observation of a physics signal with known location and shape is no longer valid when either the location or the shape of the signal is unknown. We find the current LHC significance calculation of new physics is over-estimated and strongly depends on the specifics of the method and the situation it applies to. We describe general procedures for significance calculation and comparing different search schemes. A new method uses maximum likelihood fits with floating parameters and scans the parameter space for the best fit to the entire sample. We find that the new method is significantly more sensitive than current method and is insensitive to the exact location of the new physics signal we search.     

Higgs physics at LHC

The large hadron collider (LHC) and its detectors, ATLAS and CMS, are being built to study TeV scale physics, and to fully understand the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. The Monte-Carlo simulation results for the standard model and minimal super symmetric standard model Higgs boson searches and parameter measurements are discussed. Emphasis is placed on recent investigations of Higgs produced in association with top quarks and in vector boson fusion channels. These results indicate that Higgs sector can be explored in many channels within a couple of years of LHC operation, i.e.,L = 30 fb⁻¹. Complete coverage including measurements of Higgs parameters can be carried out with full LHC program.     

Prospects for new physics observations in diffractive processes at the LHC and Tevatron

We study the double-diffractive production of various heavy systems (e.g. Higgs, dijet, and SUSY particles) at LHC and Tevatron collider energies. In each case we compute the probability that the rapidity gaps, which occur on either side of the produced system, survive the effects of soft rescattering and QCD bremsstrahlung effects. We calculate both the luminosity for different production mechanisms, and a wide variety of subprocess cross sections. The results allow numerical predictions to be readily made for the cross sections of all these processes at the LHC and the Tevatron collider. For example, we predict that the cross section for the exclusive double-diffractive production of a 120 GeV Higgs boson at the LHC is about 3 fb, and that the QCD background in the decay mode is about 4 times smaller than the Higgs signal if the experimental missing-mass resolution is 1 GeV. For completeness we also discuss production via or WW fusion. Received: 7 November 2001 / Revised version: 11 December 2001 / Published online: 25 January 2002     

Latest results of searches for new physics in the D0 experiment

Results on searches for particles and phenomena beyond the Standard Model (new-physics effects) in the D0 experiment at the Tevatron accelerator (FNAL, USA) are examined. These results were obtained on the basis of a statistical sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 to 7 fb^?1 and were published in 2010 and 2011.     

QCD physics at tevatron and LHC

Presented are the Tevatron Run I QCD results that have been known for the degree of controversy associated with them. Also, the prospects for the QCD-motivated studies at Tevatron Run II and LHC are briefly discussed.     

Results of searches for Higgs Boson and New Physics at LHC

An overview of the recent results from the LHC experiments is given for the searches for a Higgs Boson and New Physics with √s = 7 and 8 TeV data. Studies of Standard Model processes, including polarization measurements, are also presented.     

NMSSM and seesaw physics at LHC

We consider extensions of the next-to-minimal supersymmetric model (NMSSM) in which the observed neutrino masses are described in terms of effective dimension six (or seven) rather than dimension five operators. All such operators respect the discrete symmetries of the model. The new particles associated with the double (or triple) seesaw mechanism can have sizable couplings to the known leptons, even with a TeV seesaw scale. In the latter case some of these new short-lived particles could be produced and detected at the LHC.     

Implications of LHC searches on SUSY particle spectra

We study the implications of LHC searches on SUSY particle spectra using flat scans of the 19-parameter pMSSM phase space. We apply constraints from flavour physics, g _μ −2, dark matter and earlier LEP and Tevatron searches. The sensitivity of the LHC SUSY searches with jets, leptons and missing energy is assessed by reproducing with fast simulation the recent CMS analyses after validation on benchmark points. We present results in terms of the fraction of pMSSM points compatible with all the constraints which are excluded by the LHC searches with 1 fb⁻¹ and 15 fb⁻¹ as a function of the mass of strongly and weakly interacting SUSY particles. We also discuss the suppression of Higgs production cross sections for the MSSM points not excluded and contrast the region of parameter space tested by the LHC data with the constraints from dark matter direct detection experiments.     

LHC physics analysis – Worldwide distribution

The European Physical Journal C - The generic needs and requirements of performing analysis in the LHC era are examined. These requirements are addressed assuming a distributed computing...     

Heavy flavour physics at the LHC

A summary of results in heavy flavour physics from Run 1 of the LHC is presented. Topics discussed include spectroscopy, mixing, CP violation and rare decays of charmed and beauty hadrons.     

Top and flavour physics in the LHC era

We have entered a new era, where experiments are probing the top sector both directly and indirectly with an unprecedented accuracy. In the standard model, the top couplings lead to a severe fine tuning problem as well as dominating the amount of flavour violation. Thus, it is expected that in natural extensions of the standard model (SM) the top sector will include new states and consequently, both flavour conserving as well as flavour violating related observables might show deviation from SM predictions. This special issue aims to cover various aspects of top and flavour physics that are commonly considered as orthogonal. However, since very often flavour physics and top physics phenomena arise from the same fundamental sources, it is worth studying them in conjunction. Thus, this review attempts to study in reasonable depth the state of the art in experimental and theoretical research on top and flavour physics.