Observation of a new particle in the search for the Standard Model Higgs boson at the CMS detector
Author(s)
Wardle, Nicholas
Type
Thesis
Abstract
The discovery of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson is one of the
primary physics objectives of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. This
thesis describes a search carried out for the SM Higgs boson on data collected
during the 2011 and 2012 proton-proton (pp) collision runs with
the CMS detector corresponding to integrated luminosities of 5:1fb-1
and 5:3fb-1 respectively. A detailed description of the search for the
SM Higgs boson decaying to two photons from the full dataset collected
at CMS during the 2011 pp collision run is provided. In particular, the
development of signal and background modelling techniques used for
statistical interpretations of the data are highlighted. Results of the
search using these techniques from the 2011 dataset are presented. In
addition, an update to the analysis including data taken during 2012
is described and the results from the combined 2011 and 2012 analyses
given. Results from the combination of several Higgs decay channels at
CMS are reported, including those presented in the International Conference
on High Energy Physics in July 2012 at which the announcement of
discovery was made. Ongoing studies to ascertain the properties of the
new particle are discussed and preliminary results from the combined 7
and 8 TeV datasets (corresponding to 5:1fb-1 and 12:2fb-1 respectively)
are presented.
primary physics objectives of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. This
thesis describes a search carried out for the SM Higgs boson on data collected
during the 2011 and 2012 proton-proton (pp) collision runs with
the CMS detector corresponding to integrated luminosities of 5:1fb-1
and 5:3fb-1 respectively. A detailed description of the search for the
SM Higgs boson decaying to two photons from the full dataset collected
at CMS during the 2011 pp collision run is provided. In particular, the
development of signal and background modelling techniques used for
statistical interpretations of the data are highlighted. Results of the
search using these techniques from the 2011 dataset are presented. In
addition, an update to the analysis including data taken during 2012
is described and the results from the combined 2011 and 2012 analyses
given. Results from the combination of several Higgs decay channels at
CMS are reported, including those presented in the International Conference
on High Energy Physics in July 2012 at which the announcement of
discovery was made. Ongoing studies to ascertain the properties of the
new particle are discussed and preliminary results from the combined 7
and 8 TeV datasets (corresponding to 5:1fb-1 and 12:2fb-1 respectively)
are presented.
Version
Open Access
Date Issued
2013-03
Date Awarded
2013-07
Copyright Statement
Attribution NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND)
Advisor
Hays, Jonathan
Davies, Gavin
Sponsor
Science and Technology Facilities Council (Great Britain)
Publisher Department
Physics
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)