Discovering the Higgs Boson in New Physics Events using Jet Substructure
Graham D. Kribs, Adam Martin, Tuhin S. Roy, Michael Spannowsky
TL;DR
The paper proposes a boosted-Higgs search strategy using jet substructure in clean new-physics event samples at the LHC to recover h→bb decays that are difficult in standard searches. It details a Cambridge/Aachen-based fat-jet algorithm with mass-drop and subjet filtering to identify two b-tagged subjets and form a Higgs candidate, then demonstrates strong Higgs discovery potential in MSSM scenarios with gravitino LSP, achieving high significance with modest luminosity. The approach is model-independent and broadly applicable to any new physics case with associated Higgs production, potentially outperforming conventional methods in certain regions. The work also points to connections with dark matter searches, where combining Higgs and direct-detection signals could illuminate the underlying theory.
Abstract
We present a novel method to discover the Higgs boson in new physics event samples at the LHC. Our technique applies to broad classes of models where the Higgs has a significant branching fraction to b-bbar. We exploit the recently developed techniques for discovering a boosted Higgs using jet substructure. Our requirements of new physics are quite general: there must be features in the new physics event sample that allow a clean separation from standard model background, and there should be Higgs bosons produced in association with the new physics. We demonstrate that this method superbly finds and identifies the lightest Higgs boson in the minimal supersymmetric standard model. We focus on two case studies with a gravitino LSP, however, generalizations to other LSPs and to other models of new physics are also briefly discussed. In some circumstances, discovery of the lightest Higgs is possible well before conventional search strategies uncover convincing evidence.