High-Energy Vector Boson Scattering after the Higgs Discovery

TL;DR

This paper addresses the limitations of effective-theory analysis in high-energy vector boson scattering with a Higgs boson, proposing a novel unitarization method to improve theoretical predictions relevant for LHC experiments.

Contribution

It introduces the direct T-matrix unitarization method, extending the effective theory approach to non-perturbative models for more accurate high-energy scattering predictions.

Findings

Demonstrates failure of conventional effective theory at high energies

Proposes a new unitarization prescription applicable to non-perturbative models

Provides numerical results for six-fermion processes at the LHC

Abstract

Weak vector-boson W,Z scattering at high energy probes the Higgs sector and is most sensitive to any new physics associated with electroweak symmetry breaking. We show that in the presence of the 125 GeV Higgs boson, a conventional effective-theory analysis fails for this class of processes. We propose to extrapolate the effective-theory ansatz by an extension of the parameter-free K-matrix unitarization prescription, which we denote as direct T-matrix unitarization. We generalize this prescription to arbitrary non-perturbative models and describe the implementation, as an asymptotically consistent reference model matched to the low-energy effective theory. We present exemplary numerical results for full six-fermion processes at the LHC.