ATLAS Experiment at Large Hadron Collider Achieves Record Precision in Measuring Higgs Boson’s Mass

by Amir Hussein
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Higgs Boson mass measurement

The candidate Higgs boson disintegrates into two photons in the ATLAS experiment. Photo credit: CERN

The ATLAS experiment at CERN has reached a record precision of 0.09%, marking a new milestone in particle physics.

The ATLAS team has successfully carried out the most accurate measurement of the Higgs boson’s mass to date, confirming a value of 125.11 billion electronvolts with negligible uncertainty. The measurements were derived from a blend of observations from both the diphoton and four-lepton channels. These critical findings significantly contribute to our comprehension of the Universe’s fundamental structure, thanks to sophisticated calibration methods and robust reconstruction algorithms.

In the 11 years since its initial discovery at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the Higgs boson has emerged as a key player in unlocking the secrets of the Universe’s basic structure. Precise investigations into this unique particle’s properties are some of the most potent tools that physicists have to put the Standard Model to the test. The Standard Model currently stands as the best theory explaining the interactions of particles. At the recent Lepton Photon Conference, the ATLAS team showcased their precise measurement of the Higgs boson’s mass.

The Standard Model does not predict the mass of the Higgs boson, requiring it to be determined through experimental measurements. The Higgs boson’s mass is instrumental in defining the strengths of its interactions with other elementary particles and with itself. The precise understanding of this fundamental parameter is crucial for accurate theoretical calculations. Such knowledge allows physicists to contrast their Higgs boson measurements with the Standard Model’s predictions, with deviations potentially indicating new or unrecognized phenomena. Moreover, the mass of the Higgs boson is a key parameter that shapes the evolution and stability of the Universe’s vacuum.

Both the ATLAS and CMS teams have been steadily enhancing the accuracy of their Higgs boson mass measurements since its initial discovery. The recent ATLAS measurement consolidates two results: a fresh Higgs boson mass measurement from the study of the particle’s decay into two high-energy photons (the “diphoton channel”) and a previous mass measurement from its disintegration into four leptons (the “four-lepton channel”).

The latest measurement in the diphoton channel, based on a comprehensive analysis of ATLAS data from the first and second LHC runs, yielded a mass of 125.22 billion electronvolts (GeV) with an uncertainty of just 0.14 GeV. With a precision of 0.11%, this diphoton-channel outcome represents the most accurate single decay channel measurement of the Higgs boson’s mass to date.

Compared to the earlier ATLAS measurement in this channel, the current result benefits from the complete data set from ATLAS Run 2, which halved the statistical uncertainty, and from major improvements in the calibration of photon energy measurements, which reduced the systematic uncertainty by nearly fourfold to 0.09 GeV.

Stefano Manzoni, the convener of the ATLAS electron-photon calibration subgroup, stressed the importance of the rigorous calibration techniques utilized in this analysis. He highlighted that developing these techniques required years and a deep understanding of the ATLAS detector. Manzoni is optimistic that future analyses will greatly benefit from these advancements.

By merging the new mass measurement in the diphoton channel with the earlier measurement in the four-lepton channel, the ATLAS researchers confirmed a Higgs boson mass of 125.11 GeV with an uncertainty of 0.11 GeV. With a precision of 0.09%, this result is the most accurate measurement of this fundamental parameter thus far.

Andreas Hoecker, ATLAS spokesperson, credited the precise measurement to the team’s persistent efforts to improve their data understanding. Hoecker noted that the success of precision measurements hinged on powerful reconstruction algorithms in combination with accurate calibrations. He underlined that the new Higgs boson mass measurement is a vital addition to the growing, detailed map of this crucial new area of particle physics.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Higgs Boson mass measurement

What is the new precision reached by the ATLAS experiment in measuring the Higgs Boson’s mass?

The ATLAS experiment at CERN has achieved an unprecedented precision of 0.09% in measuring the mass of the Higgs Boson.

Who performed this measurement of the Higgs Boson’s mass?

The measurement was conducted by the ATLAS collaboration, a team of scientists working at CERN.

What is the value of the Higgs Boson’s mass as reported by the ATLAS experiment?

The ATLAS experiment reported the mass of the Higgs Boson as 125.11 billion electronvolts.

How were these measurements taken?

The measurements were derived from a combination of measurements from the diphoton and four-lepton channels.

How does the Higgs Boson’s mass affect our understanding of the universe?

The Higgs Boson’s mass is a key parameter that shapes the evolution and stability of the Universe’s vacuum. Precise knowledge of this fundamental parameter allows physicists to make accurate theoretical calculations and to contrast their Higgs Boson measurements with the Standard Model’s predictions.

How does this measurement compare to previous ones?

This new measurement in the diphoton channel represents the most accurate single decay channel measurement of the Higgs boson’s mass to date. It offers a precision of 0.09%, benefiting from both a complete data set from the second LHC run and major improvements in the calibration of photon energy measurements.

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