Resonant Diphoton Phenomenology Simplified

Abstract

A framework is proposed to describe resonant diphoton phenomenology at hadron colliders in full generality. It can be employed for a comprehensive model-independent interpretation of the experimental data. Within the general framework, few benchmark scenarios are defined as representative of the various phenomenological options and/or of motivated new physics scenarios. Their usage is illustrated by performing a characterization of the 750 GeV excess, based on a recast of available experimental results. We also perform an assessment of which properties of the resonance could be inferred, after discovery, by a careful experimental study of the diphoton distributions. These include the spin J of the new particle and its dominant production mode. Partial information on its CP-parity can also be obtained, but only for $J\geq2$. The complete determination of the resonance CP properties requires studying the pattern of the initial state radiation that accompanies the resonant diphoton production.

36 pages, 13 figures; v2: discussion generalized, hidden assumption in v1 removed, conclusions unchanged; v3: figure 3 slightly modified, matches published version