Abstract
The discovery of the Higgs boson(s) is the major goal of the LHC which will start taking data in 2008. In this work a data driven extraction of the background and statistical signal significance in the H→ZZ→4ℓ decay channel is presented. The background for Higgs masses as low as 130 GeV can be extracted with an error of 20%, using a sideband measurement from a single 30 fb-1 experiment. The predicted background distribution is best described by a double asymmetric Gaussian. An analytic formula is introduced which provides an accurate p-value that a Higgs discovery claim is consistent with a background fluctuation. The formula can be used in a single real measurement at LHC using as input the measured background and the profile likelihood asymmetric errors of this measurement. The method presented here can be applied to the general case of extrapolating from a signal-free data region to a candidate signal region. This is the case of supersymmetry searches at the LHC.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ALEPH, DELPHI, L3 and OPAL Collaborations, arXiv:hep-ex/0612036
ALEPH, DELPHI, L3 and OPAL Collaborations, Phys. Lett. B 565, 61 (2003)
CMS Physics Technical Design Report, Vol. 2, CERN/LHC 2006-021
J. Campbell et. al., Phys. Rev. D 73, 054007 (2006)
ATLAS Collaboration, ATLAS Technical Design Report, Vol. 2, CERN/LHC 99-15
S. Asai et. al., Eur. Phys. J. C 32, 19 (2004)
F. James, MINUIT, D507, CERN (1978)
R.D. Cousins, V.L. Highland, Nucl. Instrum. Methods A 320, 331 (1992)
K. Cranmer, Phystat2003, arXiv:physics/0310108
K. Cranmer, Statistical Problems in Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Proceedings PHYSTAT 05, ed. by L. Lyons, M.K. Unel, Imperial College Press
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
PACS
14.80.Bn; 06.20.Dk
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Paganis, S., Tovey, D. Background and signal estimation for a low mass Higgs boson at the LHC. Eur. Phys. J. C 56, 153–159 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-008-0637-z
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-008-0637-z