Coupling spans of the Higgs-like boson

Using the LHC and Tevatron data, we set upper and lower limits on the total width of the Higgs-like boson. The upper limit is based on the well-motivated assumption that the Higgs coupling to a W or Z pair is not much larger than in the Standard Model. These width limits allow us to convert the rate measurements into ranges for the Higgs couplings to various particles. A corollary of the upper limit on the total width is an upper limit on the branching fraction of exotic Higgs decays. Currently, this limit is 47% at the 95% CL if the electroweak symmetry is broken only by doublets.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures; v2: Minor clarifications, references adde

New and Improved Superstring Phenomenology

Recent developments in string theory have important implications for cosmology. Topics discussed here are inflation, the cosmological constant, smoothing of cosmological singularities, and dark matter from parallel universes. Talk presented at the International Workshop on Particle Physics and the Early Universe (COSMO-98), 15-20 Nov, Asilomar, Monterey, CA.Comment: 9 page

Beyond the Standard Model

Six major frameworks have emerged attempting to describe particle physics beyond the Standard Model. Despite their different theoretical genera, these frameworks have a number of common phenomenological features and problems. While it will be possible (and desirable) to conduct model-independent searches for new physics at the LHC, it is equally important to develop robust methods to discriminate between BSM 'look-alikes'.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, Lectures given at the 2009 European School of High-Energy Physics, Bautzen, Germany, 14-27 Jun 200

Moriond Electroweak 2006: Theory Summary

A concise look at the big picture of particle physics, including the status of the Standard Model, neutrinos, supersymmetry, extra dimensions and cosmology. Based upon the theoretical summary presented at the XLIst Rencontres de Moriond on Electroweak Interactions and Unified Theories, La Thuile, 11-18 March 2006.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

The Standard Model: Alchemy and Astrology

An brief unconventional review of Standard Model physics, containing no plots.Comment: 12 pages, 0 figures, review talk from "Physics at LHC", Krakow, 3-8 July 200

Semileptonic decays of the Higgs boson at the Tevatron

We examine the prospects for extending the Tevatron reach for a Standard Model Higgs boson by including the semileptonic Higgs boson decays h --> WW --> l nu jj for M_h >~ 2 M_W, and h --> W jj --> l nu jj for M_h <~ 2 M_W, where j is a hadronic jet. We employ a realistic simulation of the signal and backgrounds using the Sherpa Monte Carlo event generator. We find kinematic selections that enhance the signal over the dominant W+jets background. The resulting sensitivity could be an important addition to ongoing searches, especially in the mass range 120 <~ M_h <~ 150 GeV. The techniques described can be extended to Higgs boson searches at the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: 68 pages, 19 figure

Physics Needs for Future Accelerators

Contents: 1. Prologomena to any meta future physics 1.1 Physics needs for building future accelerators 1.2 Physics needs for funding future accelerators 2. Physics questions for future accelerators 2.1 Crimes and misapprehensions 2.1.1 Organized religion 2.1.2 Feudalism 2.1.3 Trotsky was right 2.2 The Standard Model as an effective field theory 2.3 What is the scale of new physics? 2.4 What could be out there? 2.5 Model-independent conclusions 3. Future accelerators 3.1 What is the physics driving the LHC? 3.2 What is the physics driving the LC? 3.2.1 Higgs physics is golden 3.2.2 LHC won't be sufficient to unravel the new physics as the TeV scale 3.2.3 LC precision measurements can pin down new physics scales 3.3 Why a Neutrino Factory? 3.4 Pushing the energy frontierComment: 19 pages, 7 figures. Talk presented at the XIX International Symposium on Lepton and Photon Interactions at High Energies (Lepton-Photon '99), Stanford University, August 9-14, 199

Super-Razor and Searches for Sleptons and Charginos at the LHC

Direct searches for electroweak pair production of new particles at the LHC are a difficult proposition, due to the large background and low signal cross sections. We demonstrate how these searches can be improved by a combination of new razor variables and shape analysis of signal and background kinematics. We assume that the pair-produced particles decay to charged leptons and missing energy, either directly or through a W boson. In both cases the final state is a pair of opposite sign leptons plus missing transverse energy. We estimate exclusion reach in terms of sleptons and charginos as realized in minimal supersymmetry. We compare this super-razor approach in detail to analyses based on other kinematic variables, showing how the super-razor uses more of the relevant kinematic information while achieving higher selection efficiency on signals, including cases with compressed spectra.Comment: 33 pages, 33 figure