An Advantage of Setting Cross Section Limits on the Total Production Mechanism 
When Multiple Processes Produce the Same Final State

by Paul Simeon and David Toback


Abstract

	When searching for new particles two separate production mechanisms from 
	the same theory may  produce the same final state.  For example, in 
	gauge  mediated supersymmetry breaking with  $\chi^{0}_{1}\rightarrow 
	\gamma\tilde{G}$ at least two production mechanisms, 
	$\chi^{0}_{1}\chi^{\pm}_{1}$ and $\chi^{0}_{2}\chi^{\pm}_{1}$, can 
	cascade to produce events with two  photons and missing transverse 
	energy.  If there is no discovery one wants to set the best possible 
	limits.  While it seems  obvious that the goal is to find the lowest 
	possible cross section limit, one should be careful and focus on 
	excluding the largest amount of parameter space for a theory. We show 
	that the combined cross section limit from both (or all) production 
	mechanisms that produce the same final state is the most sensitive way 
	to attempt to exclude a theory.


Posted to /cdf/pub/cdf7084_combined_limits.ps
    http://www-cdf.fnal.gov/cdfnotes/cdf7084_combined_limits.ps

Posted by toback@cdfsga