Template Functional Forms for the Interpretation of Resonance Search Results at the Large Hadron Collider
Date
2019
Authors
Ting, Edmund
Editors
Advisors
White, Martin
Williams, Anthony
Williams, Anthony
Journal Title
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Type:
Thesis
Citation
Statement of Responsibility
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Abstract
The search for unstable resonances produced in the proton–proton collision data of the Large Hadron Collider provides us an avenue through which physics beyond the Standard Model can be probed. A key challenge in current LHC searches is how one can model the interference effects that can severely distort the shape of the invariant mass distribution obtained from the decay products of the resonance, relative to the case where there is no interference. Such effects are strongly dependent on the beyond-Standard Model theory that gives rise to the resonance, which is unknown a priori. This thesis presents a physically-motivated, yet model-independent, template functional form for the purpose of modelling interference effects, both in the characterization of positive discoveries and in the presentation of null results. We select a benchmark Higgs-like scalar resonance decaying to a pair of photons to illustrate the approach of an analysis, utilizing fully simulated Monte Carlo events and toy datasets to exhaustively test the general parametrization. A chapter is also dedicated to the study of detector smearing effects on experimental datasets.
School/Discipline
School of Physical Sciences : Physics
Dissertation Note
Thesis (MPhil) -- University of Adelaide, School of Physical Sciences, 2019
Provenance
This electronic version is made publicly available by the University of Adelaide in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. This thesis may incorporate third party material which has been used by the author pursuant to Fair Dealing exceptions. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material you wish to be removed from this electronic version, please complete the take down form located at: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/legals