Optimal statistical analysis of search results based on the likelihood ratio and its application to the search for the MSM Higgs boson at sqrt(s) =161 and 172 GeV
A. L. Read · CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2018
A statistical analysis of search results based on the likelihood ratio is described.The analysis method can be used to set optimal exclusion limits for searches consisting of one or more distinct channels and is able to make optimal use of one or more discriminating variables that distinguish the signal from the background.The method was used to analyze the results of the search for the MSM Higgs Boson in the 1996 DELPHI data, taking into account the reconstructed invariant masses of the Higgs candidates, and a 95% con dence level lower bound of 65.9 GeV was obtained, to be compared to the published result of 66.2 GeV which did not take into account the mass information.Results obtained with the new method are the DELPHI input to a combined LEP limit being computed by the LEP working group for Higgs Boson searches.