Calculation of the contributions to the signals and backgrounds for intermediate mass Higgs detection at the LHC and SSC from the q qbar initial state

Abstract

We calculate the subprocess q qbar --> t tbar H which contributes to the signal for detection of a light `intermediate mass' Higgs boson at the LHC and SSC in the isolated lepton and two isolated photons mode. This enhances the gg --> t tbar H signal by about 10% at the SSC and 25% at the LHC. We also calculate the q qbar --> t tbar gamma gamma irreducible background subprocess to this detection mode which enhances the gg --> t tbar gamma gamma irreducible background. This background is found to be quite substantial due to the effect of radiation from the initial state quarks as well as the final state t tbar pair; at the SSC the q qbar initial state background enhances the gg initial state background by between 20% for m_t=100 GeV and 35% for m_t=180 GeV, and at the LHC by between 50% for m_t=100 GeV and 120% for m_t=180 GeV. However with a 3% mass resolution on the gamma gamma mass the extra q qbar background events are typically smaller than the extra q qbar signal events, and the signal remains observable.