Interference effects in the H(→ γγ) + 2 jets channel at the LHC

We compute the interference between the resonant process pp → H(→ γγ) + 2 jets and the corresponding continuum background at leading order in QCD. For the Higgs signal, we include gluon fusion (GF) and vector boson fusion (VBF) production channels, while for the background we consider all tree-level contributions, including pure EW effects (O(α 4 QED)) and QCD contributions (O(α 2 QEDα 2 s )), plus the loopinduced gluon-initiated process. After convolution with the experimental mass resolution, the main effect of the interference is to shift the position of the mass peak, as in the inclusive GF case studied previously. The apparent mass shift is small in magnitude but strongly dependent on the Higgs width, potentially allowing for a measurement of, or bound on, the width itself. In the H(→ γγ) + 2 jets channel, the VBF and GF contributions generate shifts of opposite signs which largely cancel, depending on the sets of cuts used, to as little as 5 MeV (toward a lower Higgs mass). The small magnitude of the shift makes this channel a good reference mass for measuring the inclusive mass shift of around 60 MeV in the Standard Model.Fil: Coradeschi, F.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Università degli Studi di Firenze; ItaliaFil: de Florian, Daniel Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Dixon, L. J.. University of Stanford; Estados Unidos. Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics; Estados UnidosFil: Fidanza Romani, Nerina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; ArgentinaFil: Höche, S.. University of Stanford; Estados UnidosFil: Ita, H.. Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg; AlemaniaFil: Li, Y.. University of Stanford; Estados UnidosFil: Mazzitelli, Javier Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; Argentin