Prospects for Higgs Searches via VBF at the LHC with the ATLAS Detector

We report on the potential for the discovery of a Standard Model Higgs boson with the vector boson fusion mechanism in the mass range 115 with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Feasibility studies at hadron level followed by a fast detector simulation have been performed for H\to W^{(*)}W^{(*)}\to l^+l^-\sla{p_T}, $H\to\gamma\gamma$ and $H\to ZZ\to l^+l^-q\bar{q}$. The results obtained show a large discovery potential in the range 115. Results obtained with multivariate techniques are reported for a number of channels.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, contributed to 2003 Les Houches Workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Incorporated comments from ATLAS referee

X-Ray Determination of the Variable Rate of Mass Accretion onto TW Hydrae

Diagnostics of electron temperature (T_e), electron density (n_e), and hydrogen column density (N_H) from the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating spectrum of He-like Ne IX in TW Hydrae (TW Hya), in conjunction with a classical accretion model, allow us to infer the accretion rate onto the star directly from measurements of the accreting material. The new method introduces the use of the absorption of Ne IX lines as a measure of the column density of the intervening, accreting material. On average, the derived mass accretion rate for TW Hya is 1.5 x 10^{-9} M_{\odot} yr^{-1}, for a stellar magnetic field strength of 600 Gauss and a filling factor of 3.5%. Three individual Chandra exposures show statistically significant differences in the Ne IX line ratios, indicating changes in N_H, T_e, and n_e by factors of 0.28, 1.6, and 1.3, respectively. In exposures separated by 2.7 days, the observations reported here suggest a five-fold reduction in the accretion rate. This powerful new technique promises to substantially improve our understanding of the accretion process in young stars

Higgs Mass and Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment in Supersymmetric Models with Vector-Like Matters

We study the muon anomalous magnetic moment (muon g-2) and the Higgs boson mass in a simple extension of the minimal supersymmetric (SUSY) Standard Model with extra vector-like matters, in the frameworks of gauge mediated SUSY breaking (GMSB) models and gravity mediation (mSUGRA) models. It is shown that the deviation of the muon g-2 and a relatively heavy Higgs boson can be simultaneously explained in large tan-beta region. (i) In GMSB models, the Higgs mass can be more than 135 GeV (130 GeV) in the region where muon g-2 is consistent with the experimental value at the 2 sigma (1 sigma) level, while maintaining the perturbative coupling unification. (ii) In the case of mSUGRA models with universal soft masses, the Higgs mass can be as large as about 130 GeV when muon g-2 is consistent with the experimental value at the 2 sigma level. In both cases, the Higgs mass can be above 140 GeV if the g-2 constraint is not imposed.Comment: 26 pages; 7 figures; corrected typos; minor change

Dominant next-to-leading order QCD corrections to Higgs plus three jet production in vector-boson fusion

We present the calculation of the dominant next to leading order QCD corrections to Higgs boson production in association with three jets via vector boson fusion in the form of a NLO parton-level Monte Carlo program. QCD corrections to integrated cross sections are modest, while the shapes of some kinematical distributions change appreciably at NLO. Scale uncertainties are shown to be reduced at NLO for the total cross section and for distributions. We consider a central jet veto at the LHC and analyze the veto probability for typical vector boson fusion cuts. Scale uncertainties of the veto probability are sufficiently small at NLO for precise Higgs coupling measurements at the LHC.Comment: 40 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, published versio

A Deep Chandra X-ray Spectrum of the Accreting Young Star TW Hydrae

We present X-ray spectral analysis of the accreting young star TW Hydrae from a 489 ks observation using the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating. The spectrum provides a rich set of diagnostics for electron temperature T_e, electron density N_e, hydrogen column density N_H, relative elemental abundances and velocities and reveals its source in 3 distinct regions of the stellar atmosphere: the stellar corona, the accretion shock, and a very large extended volume of warm postshock plasma. The presence of Mg XII, Si XIII, and Si XIV emission lines in the spectrum requires coronal structures at ~10 MK. Lower temperature lines (e.g., from O VIII, Ne IX, and Mg XI) formed at 2.5 MK appear more consistent with emission from an accretion shock. He-like Ne IX line ratio diagnostics indicate that T_e = 2.50 +/- 0.25 MK and N_e = 3.0 +/- 0.2 x 10^(12) cm^(-3) in the shock. These values agree well with standard magnetic accretion models. However, the Chandra observations significantly diverge from current model predictions for the postshock plasma. This gas is expected to cool radiatively, producing O VII as it flows into an increasingly dense stellar atmosphere. Surprisingly, O VII indicates N_e = 5.7 ^(+4.4}_(-1.2) x 10^(11) cm^(-3), five times lower than N_e in the accretion shock itself, and ~7 times lower than the model prediction. We estimate that the postshock region producing O VII has roughly 300 times larger volume, and 30 times more emitting mass than the shock itself. Apparently, the shocked plasma heats the surrounding stellar atmosphere to soft X-ray emitting temperatures and supplies this material to nearby large magnetic structures -- which may be closed magnetic loops or open magnetic field leading to mass outflow. (Abridged)Comment: 13 pages (emulateapj style), 10 figures, ApJ, in pres

TW Hya: Spectral Variability, X-Rays, and Accretion Diagnostics

The nearest accreting T Tauri star, TW Hya was observed with spectroscopic and photometric measurements simultaneous with a long se gmented exposure using the CHANDRA satellite. Contemporaneous optical photometry from WASP-S indicates a 4.74 day period was present during this time. Absence of a similar periodicity in the H-alpha flux and the total X-ray flux points to a different source of photometric variations. The H-alpha emission line appears intrinsically broad and symmetric, and both the profile and its variability suggest an origin in the post-shock cooling region. An accretion event, signaled by soft X-rays, is traced spectroscopically for the first time through the optical emission line profiles. After the accretion event, downflowing turbulent material observed in the H-alpha and H-beta lines is followed by He I (5876A) broadening. Optical veiling increases with a delay of about 2 hours after the X-ray accretion event. The response of the stellar coronal emission to an increase in the veiling follows about 2.4 hours later, giving direct evidence that the stellar corona is heated in part by accretion. Subsequently, the stellar wind becomes re-established. We suggest a model that incorporates this sequential series of events: an accretion shock, a cooling downflow in a supersonically turbulent region, followed by photospheric and later, coronal heating. This model naturally explains the presence of broad optical and ultraviolet lines, and affects the mass accretion rates determined from emission line profiles.Comment: 61 pages; 22 figures; to appear in The Astrophysical Journa

Heavy MSSM Higgs Bosons at CMS: "LHC wedge" and Higgs-Mass Precision

The search for MSSM Higgs bosons will be an important goal at the LHC. In order to analyze the search reach of the CMS experiment for the heavy neutral MSSM Higgs bosons, we combine the latest results for the CMS experimental sensitivities based on full simulation studies with state-of-the-art theoretical predictions of MSSM Higgs-boson properties. The experimental analyses are done assuming an integrated luminosity of 30 or 60 fb^-1. The results are interpreted as 5 \si discovery contours in MSSM M_A-tan_beta benchmark scenarios. Special emphasis is put on the variation of the Higgs mixing parameter mu. While the variation of mu can shift the prospective discovery reach (and correspondingly the ``LHC wedge'' region) by about Delta tan_beta= 10, the discovery reach is rather stable with respect to the impact of other supersymmetric parameters. Within the discovery region we analyze the accuracy with which the masses of the heavy neutral Higgs bosons can be determined. An accuracy of 1-4% should be achievable, depending on M_A and tan_beta.Comment: Talk given by G.W. at EPS07 (Manchester, July 2007) and talk given by S.H. at SUSY07 (Karlsruhe, July 2007). 4 pages, 2 figure