QCD Radiation Effects on the H->WW->l nu l nu Signal at Hadron Colliders

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how QCD radiation influences the detection of the Higgs boson decaying into WW at hadron colliders, focusing on small transverse momentum regions and comparing NNLO QCD calculations with MC@NLO simulations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison between NNLO QCD predictions and MC@NLO simulations for Higgs to WW signal efficiency under specific experimental cuts.

Findings

NNLO QCD and MC@NLO predictions agree within uncertainties.

Reliable cross-section estimates after experimental cuts are achieved.

QCD radiation effects are significant for small transverse momentum Higgs signals.

Abstract

The discovery of a Standard Model Higgs boson is possible when experimental cuts are applied which increase the ratio of signal and background cross-sections. We present a study of the pp->H->WW signal cross-section at hadron colliders which requires a selection of Higgs bosons with small transverse momentum. We compare predictions for the efficiency of the experimental cuts from a NNLO QCD calculation and the event generator MC@NLO and are able to predict a reliable number for the cross-section after the aplpication of such experimental cuts.