Lets Talk Higgs

[Erasmus00]

Originally Posted by modest

I'm thinking about the high-range in expected mass of the higgs. Is there an easy way to show how its mass is not protected by a symmetry?

Not that I can thing of- other then to say its a question of energy scales. The scale of the weak interaction is much lower then the Planck mass, and the higgs couples to lots of things, so renormalization effects tend to move the higgs scale up.

I honestly am not trying to start a discussion on fine-tuning or hierarchy problems - just looking for how the higgs' mass is derived differently, or rather, how it cannot be derived similarly (as say - a fermion).

The way a mass runs with the length scale you are looking at can be calculated by working out loop diagrams, doing annoying integrals, etc. However the actual mass at any given length scale cannot be derived, only measured. I'm not sure if I answered the question, let me know if I missed my mark.
-Will

[snoopy]

Hi could i just ask does the Higgs field have a constant value everywhere in the universe and if so why ??

Peace

[Erasmus00]

Originally Posted by snoopy

Hi could i just ask does the Higgs field have a constant value everywhere in the universe and if so why ??

The Higgs has a constant background value of 246GeV, it fluctuates around that value.

I attempted to describe the reasoning in my above post.
-Will

[snoopy]

Originally Posted by Erasmus00

The Higgs has a constant background value of 246GeV, it fluctuates around that value.

I attempted to describe the reasoning in my above post.
-Will

I was thinking more along the lines of symmetry breaking in the early universe which you hadnt discussed as yet

[maddog]

Originally Posted by Erasmus00

The Higgs has a constant background value of 246GeV, it fluctuates around that value...
-Will

At such a specific resonance value (even to be around 246Gev) indicates the
Higgs particle has been observed. Did I miss something ? If not, then why
is this thought to be the resonant value ?

maddog

[Farsight]

Sorry I've not been around much Erasmus. I do appreciate your efforts, and will endeavour to pick up on this.

[Erasmus00]

Originally Posted by maddog

At such a specific resonance value (even to be around 246Gev) indicates the
Higgs particle has been observed. Did I miss something ? If not, then why
is this thought to be the resonant value ?

This isn't the resonant value (which would be the mass of the particle), but rather the constant background value- which is responsible for the masses of the W, Z bosons as well as the fermions. It can be inferred by careful measurements of these particles masses.
-Will

[InfiniteNow]

For those less inclined toward the math, here's a short ~4 min "newsie" video on the LHC:

YouTube - Big Bang v2.0

Enjoy.

[InfiniteNow]

Here is a wonderful talk given at TED by Brian Cox. All I can say is, wow.

YouTube - Brian Cox: What really goes on at the...

Rock star physicist" Brian Cox talks about his work on the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Discussing the biggest of big science in an engaging, accessible way, Cox brings us along on a tour of the massive complex and describes his part in it -- and the vital role it's going to play in understanding our universe.

[UncleAl]

1) The Standard Model arrives massless.
2) Mass empirically exists.
3) The Higgs mechansim rationalizes the existence of mass without performing prediction. About 15 fundamental masses must be inserted by hand into the Standard Model.

There is no reason for the Higgs boson to exist other than theoretical convenience. Uncle Al predicts the LHC will not discover the Higgs. How much fun would that be?

Lots! Look at the seven fundamental SI quantities. All of them except mass has a fundamental quantum mechanical fiduciary standard. The standard kilogram is an arbitrary lump of Pt-10% Ir alloy in Sèvres, France (that measurably drifts in value over time - as do all its secondary standard copies, each one differently). Perhaps physics has made a terrible error in its modeling of mass.