Project description
Searching elusive particle interactions for clues to the origin of mass
The Higgs boson is a special elementary particle that mediates a field that gives mass to all elementary particles. Interactions between the Higgs boson and the top quark, the heaviest elementary particle, are the strongest. These top–Higgs interactions are an excellent test bench to investigate the so-called charge-parity (CP) violation. The CP violation theoretically explains why we observe more matter than antimatter in the universe – but it practically has not been observed enough itself. The EU-funded TheHiggsAndThe7Tops project is planning to reveal the CP properties in the top–Higgs interaction for revelations about the origin of mass and matter–antimatter asymmetry.
Objective
With the ground-breaking discovery of a new scalar particle, the Higgs boson, in 2012 by ATLAS and CMS, the standard model (SM) of particle physics has been completed. Despite this success, many open questions on the fundamental laws of nature remain unanswered. Among these are how exactly particles acquire their mass and why there is more matter than antimatter in the universe.
One of the most promising avenues to approach these questions is to explore the relation between the Higgs boson and the heaviest known elementary particle: the top quark. Due to its large mass, the top is expected to play a special role in the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking. In order to shed light onto this mechanism, understanding the coupling between the top and the Higgs in great detail and exploring the charge and parity (CP) nature of the Higgs are essential. While the SM Higgs boson is CP-even, many models beyond the SM require a CP-odd component. Higgs-top couplings are expected to provide an unambiguous probe of CP-mixed states.
I will explore for the first time all processes in which a direct determination of the top-Higgs interconnection is feasible, in particular events where the Higgs is produced in association with 1, 2 and 4 top quarks. These are among the most challenging channels at the LHC. I will pioneer a comprehensive programme, consisting of the development of powerful event-reconstruction methods and improved boosting techniques, allowing the first exploitation of novel variables in a beyond-state-of-the-art cross-process analysis, thus unravel the CP-properties in the top-Higgs interaction.
The ultimate goal of the project is the precise direct measurement of the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling, and the first determination of the CP-nature of the Higgs boson in fermion interactions. Confronting these results with the SM and models that go beyond the SM will yield an unprecedented insight into the origin of mass of elementary particles.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics fermions
- natural sciences physical sciences theoretical physics particle physics quarks
- social sciences law
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2018-COG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
M13 9PL Manchester
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.