Signal-background interference in gg --> H --> VV

Abstract

The resonance-continuum interference between the SM Higgs search signal process gg --> H --> VV (V=W,Z) and the irreducible background process gg --> VV is studied at leading order for integrated cross sections and differential distributions in pp collisions at \sqrt{s}=7 TeV and 14 TeV for M_H=400 GeV. Leptonic weak boson decays are included, and realistic experimental selection cuts are applied.

8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, to appear in the proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Radiative Corrections (Applications of Quantum Field Theory to Phenomenology), RADCOR 2011, Mamallapuram, India; added references; corrected statement about vanishing triangle graphs (results unchanged)