A Busy Higgs Signal

TL;DR

This paper reveals a mechanism that enhances Higgs-rich final states in collider searches, potentially making them the primary channels for discovering new resonances beyond the Standard Model.

Contribution

It introduces a new effective field theory framework showing how higher-order Higgs couplings can selectively amplify Higgs final states, challenging conventional expectations.

Findings

Higgs final states can be parametrically enhanced over gauge boson channels.

Di-Higgs becomes the dominant signal for scalar resonances above a few TeV.

Tri-Higgs and four-Higgs channels are viable search targets at high resonance masses.

Abstract

Higgs final states are prime targets in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model. In the conventional picture, $SU(2)$ symmetry together with the Goldstone Equivalence Theorem correlates Higgs and gauge-boson final states, implying comparable sensitivity in channels such as $hh$, $ZZ$, and $WW$ in searches for heavy resonances. In this work, we identify a mechanism to parametrically violate this expectation. We show that higher-order Higgs couplings can induce an electroweak-symmetry-breaking enhancement that selectively amplifies Higgs-rich final states, allowing them to become the leading discovery channels of new resonances. For scalar resonances, this can make di-Higgs the dominant bosonic signal. For resonance masses higher than a couple of TeV, it also opens resonant tri-Higgs and four-Higgs channels as well-motivated search targets. The same underlying mechanism extends to heavy fermionic and vector resonances, where it can similarly enhance channels such as $ht$, $Zh$, and $\gamma h$. We present this framework in effective field theory, demonstrate possible UV completions, and discuss its implications for collider searches.