New Physics backgrounds to the H -> WW search at the LHC?

TL;DR

This paper explores how new physics, particularly supersymmetric particles, could bias background estimates in H -> WW searches at the LHC, potentially affecting Higgs signal detection.

Contribution

It identifies a supersymmetric scenario that can cause background overestimation, impacting Higgs search results at the LHC.

Findings

Supersymmetric particles can alter background estimates in H -> WW searches.

Control region contamination by new physics can lead to underestimated Higgs signals.

Potential need to revise background estimation techniques to account for new physics.

Abstract

The searches for H -> WW events at the LHC use data driven techniques for estimating the q qbar -> WW background, by normalizing the background cross section to data in a control region. We investigate the possibility that new physics sources which mainly contribute to the control region lead to an overestimate of Standard Model backgrounds to the Higgs boson signal and, thus, to an underestimate of the H -> WW signal. A supersymmetric scenario with heavy squarks and gluinos but charginos in the 200 to 300 GeV region and somewhat lighter sleptons can lead to such a situation.