Evidence for the spin-0 nature of the Higgs boson using ATLAS data
Date
2013
Authors
Aad, G.
Jackson, P.
Soni, N.
White, M.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Physics Letters B: Nuclear Physics and Particle Physics, 2013; 726(1-3):120-144
Statement of Responsibility
ATLAS Collaboration
Conference Name
Abstract
Studies of the spin and parity quantum numbers of the Higgs boson are presented, based on proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The Standard Model spin-parity J<sup>P</sup>=0<sup>+</sup> hypothesis is compared with alternative hypotheses using the Higgs boson decays H→γγ, H→ZZ<sup>*</sup>→4ℓ and H→WW<sup>*</sup>→ℓνℓν, as well as the combination of these channels. The analysed dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.7 fb<sup>-1</sup> collected at a centre-of-mass energy of s=8TeV. For the H→ZZ<sup>*</sup>→4ℓ decay mode the dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb<sup>-1</sup> collected at s=7TeV is included. The data are compatible with the Standard Model J<sup>P</sup>=0<sup>+</sup> quantum numbers for the Higgs boson, whereas all alternative hypotheses studied in this Letter, namely some specific J<sup>P</sup>=0<sup>-</sup>, 1<sup>+</sup>, 1<sup>-</sup>, 2<sup>+</sup> models, are excluded at confidence levels above 97.8%. This exclusion holds independently of the assumptions on the coupling strengths to the Standard Model particles and in the case of the J<sup>P</sup>=2<sup>+</sup> model, of the relative fractions of gluon-fusion and quark-antiquark production of the spin-2 particle. The data thus provide evidence for the spin-0 nature of the Higgs boson, with positive parity being strongly preferred. © 2013 CERN.
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Dissertation Note
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Description
ATLAS Collaboration contributors: P. D. Jackson, N. Soni and M. White for the University of Adelaide.
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© 2013 CERN.