Skip to content

Prospects for exotic h→4τ decays in single and di Higgs boson production at the LHC and future hadro

Topic
natural sciences
Categories
physics
Reading Time 4 min
Abstract

Ever wondered if the Higgs boson holds secrets to new physics? Dive into the fascinating hunt for exotic Higgs decays that could unlock mysteries like dark matter and beyond! Join us as we explore groundbreaking discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider and future colliders. FAQ: What are exotic Higgs decays and why are they important?

Tags
natural-sciencesphysicsbosondecaysdiexoticforfuture

Ever wondered if the Higgs boson holds secrets to new physics? Dive into the fascinating hunt for exotic Higgs decays that could unlock mysteries like dark matter and beyond! Join us as we explore groundbreaking discoveries at the Large Hadron Collider and future colliders. FAQ: What are exotic Higgs decays and why are they important? Exotic Higgs decays refer to decays of the Higgs boson into particles beyond those predicted by the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. These decays are important because they could provide evidence for new physics beyond the SM, such as supersymmetry or other exotic theories. The Standard Model only accounts for a small portion of the matter and energy in the universe and fails to explain phenomena like dark matter and dark energy. Exotic Higgs decays could offer clues to these mysteries. What is the specific exotic Higgs decay studied in this research? This research focuses on the decay of the Higgs boson (h) into a pair of light, beyond-the-Standard Model scalar particles (a), which then each decay into a pair of tau leptons (τ). This process is represented as: h → aa → 4τ. What are the main production channels for the Higgs boson at the LHC? The two main production channels for the Higgs boson at the LHC are: Gluon-gluon fusion (ggF): This is the dominant Higgs production mode at the LHC. It involves the collision of two gluons, which then produce a Higgs boson. Vector boson fusion (VBF): In this mode, two quarks from the colliding protons each emit a W or Z boson. These bosons then fuse to produce a Higgs boson. How was the analysis performed to search for the exotic decay? The analysis used a combination of cut-based and machine-learning techniques, specifically the XGBoost algorithm. Events were selected based on specific kinematic features, such as the presence of tau leptons and b-jets, as well as variables related to the reconstructed Higgs boson. The XGBoost algorithm was trained to distinguish between signal events (containing the exotic Higgs decay) and background events (from other SM processes). What are the main backgrounds to the exotic Higgs decay search? The main backgrounds to the exotic Higgs decay search come from SM processes that can produce similar final states, including: Inclusive 4ℓ (ℓ = e, µ, τ): Events with four leptons, which can mimic the four tau leptons from the exotic decay. h → ZZ∗ → 4ℓ: Higgs boson decays to a pair of Z bosons, which then decay into four leptons. QCD-QED processes: Quantum chromodynamics and quantum electrodynamics processes that can produce multiple leptons and jets. Top quark production: Processes involving top quark production and decay, which can produce tau leptons and b-jets. What is the sensitivity of the HL-LHC to this exotic decay? The HL-LHC (High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider) is expected to significantly improve the sensitivity to this exotic decay compared to the current LHC. The HL-LHC will collect much more data and allow for the observation of rarer processes. The projected sensitivity for the branching ratio of the exotic Higgs decay (h → aa → 4τ) at the HL-LHC ranges from 0.015% to 0.14%, depending on the mass of the exotic scalar particle (a) and the specific production channel. How does the sensitivity of di-Higgs searches compare to single Higgs searches? The sensitivity of di-Higgs searches for the exotic Higgs decay is generally comparable to or slightly weaker than the sensitivity of single Higgs searches. However, di-Higgs searches provide an additional and independent way to look for this decay, which can help to confirm a potential discovery. What are the prospects for searching for this exotic decay at future colliders? Future colliders, such as the FCC-hh (Future Circular Collider), with higher energies and luminosities will have even greater sensitivity to this exotic decay. The increased energy and data collection will allow for the exploration of a wider range of masses for the exotic scalar particle and could potentially lead to the discovery of this decay if it exists. 📖 Resources: Read the paper written by Amit Adhikary (Warsaw U. and Bangalore, Indian Inst. Sci.), Shankha Banerjee (CERN), Rahool Kumar Barman (Oklahoma State U.), Brian Batell (Pittsburgh U.), Biplob Bhattacherjee (Bangalore, Indian Inst. Sci.), Camellia Bose (Bangalore, Indian Inst. Sci.), Zhuoni Qian (Hangzhou Normal U.), Michael Spannowsky (Durham U., IPPP): https://arxiv.org/abs/2211.07674 🎥 Watch Next: Physics: [ • Physics ] 💡 Please don’t forget to like, comment, share, and subscribe! #higgsboson #particlephysics #lhc #highenergyphysics #cern #darkmatter #physicsexplained




Understanding these findings helps advance our knowledge and inform better decisions. This research represents an important contribution to the field. For the full details, watch the video above and explore the linked resources.


prospects for exotic h→4τ decays in single and di higgs boson production at the lhc