TOTEM early measurements

The status of the TOTEM experiment is described as well as the prospects for the measurements in the early LHC runs. The primary goal of TOTEM is the measurement of the total p-p cross section, using a method independent of the luminosity. A final accuracy of 1% is ex- pected with dedicated β∗ = 1540 m runs, while at the beginning a 5% resolution is achievable with a β∗ = 90 m optics. Accordingly to the running scenarios TOTEM will be able to measure the elastic scattering in a wide range of t and to study the cross-sections and the topologies of diffractive events. In a later stage, physics studies will be extended to low-x and forward physics collaborating with CMS as a whole experimental apparatus.

Transverse momentum and pseudorapidity distributions of charged hadrons in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 0.9 and 2.36 TeV

Measurements of inclusive charged-hadron transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions are presented for proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 0.9 and 2.36 TeV. The data were collected with the CMS detector during the LHC commissioning in December 2009. For non-single-diffractive interactions, the average charged-hadron transverse momentum is measured to be 0.46 +/- 0.01 (stat.) +/- 0.01 (syst.) GeV/c at 0.9 TeV and 0.50 +/- 0.01 (stat.) +/- 0.01 (syst.) GeV/c at 2.36 TeV, for pseudorapidities between -2.4 and +2.4. At these energies, the measured pseudorapidity densities in the central region, dN(charged)/d(eta) for |eta|

Physics interplay of the LHC and the ILC

Physics at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the International e(+)e(-) Linear Collider (ILC) will be complementary in many respects, as has been demonstrated at previous generations of hadron and lepton colliders. This report addresses the possible interplay between the LHC and ILC in testing the Standard Model and in discovering and determining the origin of new physics. Mutual benefits for the physics programme at both machines can occur both at the level of a combined interpretation of Hadron Collider and Linear Collider data and at the level of combined analyses of the data, where results obtained at one machine can directly influence the way analyses are carried out at the other machine. Topics under study comprise the physics of weak and strong electroweak symmetry breaking, supersymmetric models, new gauge theories, models with extra dimensions, and electroweak and QCD precision physics. The status of the work that has been carried out within the LHC/ILC Study Group so far is summarized in this report. Possible topics for future studies are outlined.

On measurement of top polarization as a probe of t(t)over-bar production mechanisms at the LHC

In this note we demonstrate the use of top polarization in the study of t (t) over bar resonances at the LHC, in the possible case where the dynamics implies a non-zero top polarization. As a probe of top polarization we construct an asymmetry in the decay-lepton azimuthal angle distribution (corresponding to the sign of cos phi(l)) in the laboratory. The asymmetry is non-vanishing even for a symmetric collider like the LHC, where a positive z axis is not uniquely defined. The angular distribution of the leptons has the advantage of being a faithful top-spin analyzer, unaffected by possible anomalous tbW couplings, to linear order. We study, for purposes of demonstration, the case of a Z' as might exist in the little Higgs models. We identify kinematic cuts which ensure that our asymmetry reflects the polarization in sign and magnitude. We investigate possibilities at the LHC with two energy options: root s = 14TeV and root s = 7TeV, as well as at the Tevatron. At the LHC the model predicts net top quark polarization of the order of a few per cent for M-Z' similar or equal to 1200GeV, being as high as 10% for a smaller mass of the Z' of 700GeV and for the largest allowed coupling in the model, the values being higher for the 7TeV option. These polarizations translate to a deviation from the standard-model value of azimuthal asymmetry of up to about 4% (7%) for 14 (7) TeV LHC, whereas for the Tevatron, values as high as 12% are attained. For the 14TeV LHC with an integrated luminosity of 10 fb(-1), these numbers translate into a 3 sigma sensitivity over a large part of the range 500 less than or similar to M-Z' less than or similar to 1500GeV.

CP Asymmetries in Higgs decays to ZZ at the LHC

We examine the effect of a general HZZ coupling through a study of the Higgs decay to leptons via Z bosons at the LHC. We discuss various methods for placing limits on additional couplings, including measurement of the partial width, threshold scans, and asymmetries constructed from angular observables. We find that only the asymmetries provide a definitive test of additional couplings. We further estimate the significances they provide.

Large rapidity gaps survival probabilities at LHC

We calculate the probability of large rapidity gaps in high energy hadronic collisions using a model based on QCD mini-jets and soft gluon emission down into the infrared region. Comparing with other models we find a remarkable agreement among most predictions.

Total and inelastic cross sections at LHC at root s=7 TeV and beyond

We discuss expectations for the total and inelastic cross sections at LHC CM energies root s = 7 TeV and 14 TeV obtained in an eikonal minijet model augmented by soft gluon k(t)-resummation, which we describe in some detail. We present a band of predictions which encompass recent LHC data and suggest that the inelastic cross section described by two-channel eikonal models include only uncorrelated processes. We show that this interpretation of the model is supported by the LHC data.

Large mass splittings for fourth generation fermions allowed by LHC Higgs boson exclusion

In the context of the standard model with a fourth generation, we explore the allowed mass spectra in the fourth-generation quark and lepton sectors as functions of the Higgs mass. Using the constraints from unitarity and oblique parameters, we show that a heavy Higgs allows large mass splittings in these sectors, opening up new decay channels involving W emission. Assuming that the hints for a light Higgs do not yet constitute an evidence, we work in a scenario where a heavy Higgs is viable. A Higgs heavier than similar to 800 GeV would in fact necessitate either a heavy quark decay channel t' -> b'W/b' -> t'W or a heavy lepton decay channel tau' -> nu'W as long as the mixing between the third and fourth generations is small. This mixing tends to suppress the mass splittings and hence the W-emission channels. The possibility of the W-emission channel could substantially change the search strategies of fourth-generation fermions at the LHC and impact the currently reported mass limits.

Higgs boson in the MSSM in light of the LHC

We investigate the expectations for the light Higgs signal in the minimal supersymmetric standard model in different search channels at the LHC. After taking into account dark matter and flavor constraints in the minimal supersymmetric standard model with 11 free parameters as well as LHC results on the Higgs sector, we show that the light Higgs signal in the gamma channel is expected to be at most at the level of the standard model Higgs, while the h -> b (b) over bar from W fusion and/or the h -> tau(tau) over bar can be enhanced. For the main discovery mode, we show that a strong suppression of the signal occurs in two different cases: low M-A or large invisible width. The former is however strongly constrained by the recent LHC results. A more modest suppression is associated with the effect of light supersymmetric particles. Looking for such modification of the Higgs properties and searching directly for supersymmetric partners and pseudoscalar Higgs offer two complementary probes of supersymmetry at the LHC.

QCD mini-jets contribution to the total cross-section for pions and protons and expectations at LHC

We describe our kt-resummation model for total cross-sections and show its application to pp and ¯pp scattering. The model uses mini-jets to drive the rise of the cross-section and soft gluon resummation in the infrared region to transform the violent rise of the mini-jet cross-section into a logarithmic behaviour in agreement with the Froissart bound.