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<b>In addition to the seminar, "Women in Physics in the US:
Numbers, Challenge, and Solutions," on Thurs., April 5, Dr. Simmons
will give the following physics talk on Wed., April 4:<tt><i><br>
</i></tt></b><br>
<br>
Theory Center Seminar<br>
Wed., April 4, 2012<br>
CEBAF Center, Room L104<br>
3:00 p.m. (coffee at 2:45 p.m.)<br>
<br>
<br>
<div><big>Elizabeth H. Simmons </big> <br>
</div>
<div>Dean, Lyman Briggs College and Professor of Physics</div>
<div>Michigan State University</div>
<br>
<div><font size="+1"><b>Strong Top Quark Dynamics in the LHC Era</b></font></div>
<div><b><br>
</b></div>
<div>Ongoing LHC searches for the standard model Higgs Boson in WW or
ZZ decay modes strongly constrain the top-Higgs state predicted in many
models with new dynamics that preferentially affects top quarks. Such a
state couples strongly to top-quarks, and is therefore produced through
gluon fusion at a rate that can be greatly enhanced relative to the
rate for the standard model Higgs boson. As we discuss in this talk, a
top-Higgs state with mass less than 300 GeV is excluded at 95% CL if
the associated top-pion has a mass of 150 GeV, and the constraint is
even stronger if the mass of the top-pion state exceeds the top-quark
mass or if the top-pion decay constant is a substantial fraction of the
weak scale. Bounds from searches for a Higgs boson decaying to photon
pairs or from the rare process b -> s photon are also very
informative. When combined, these results have significant
implications for theories with strong top dynamics, such as
topcolor-assisted technicolor, top-seesaw models, and certain Higgsless
models.</div>
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