Higgs windows to new physics through d = 6 operators: Constraints and one-loop anomalous dimensions
J. Elias-Miro, J. R. Espinosa, E. Masso, A. Pomarol
TL;DR
The work develops a model-independent EFT framework to quantify how heavy new physics at scale Λ can modify Higgs interactions via dimension-six operators. It introduces a structured operator basis split into tree-level and loop-induced categories, identifies a minimal Higgs-sensitive subset of Wilson coefficients, and computes their one-loop anomalous dimensions to obtain leading-log RG flows down to the electroweak scale. The results enable RG-improved predictions for Higgs couplings in MSSM, universal/composite-Higgs, and non-standard-top scenarios, and connect Higgs-sector effects to precision EW constraints through S, T, and Zbb. The analysis highlights that RG running can yield sizable corrections for Λ ≲ a few TeV and will be relevant as measurements of Higgs properties improve.
Abstract
The leading contributions from heavy new physics to Higgs processes can be captured in a model-independent way by dimension-six operators in an effective Lagrangian approach. We present a complete analysis of how these contributions affect Higgs couplings. Under certain well-motivated assumptions, we find that 8 CP-even plus 3 CP-odd Wilson coefficients parametrize the main impact in Higgs physics, as all other coefficients are constrained by non-Higgs SM measurements. We calculate the most relevant anomalous dimensions for these Wilson coefficients, which describe operator mixing from the heavy scale down to the electroweak scale. This allows us to find the leading-log corrections to the predictions for the Higgs couplings in specific models, such as the MSSM or composite Higgs, which we find to be significant in certain cases.