What is Higgs: Definition and 682 Discussions

In the Standard Model of particle physics, the Higgs mechanism is essential to explain the generation mechanism of the property "mass" for gauge bosons. Without the Higgs mechanism, all bosons (one of the two classes of particles, the other being fermions) would be considered massless, but measurements show that the W+, W−, and Z0 bosons actually have relatively large masses of around 80 GeV/c2. The Higgs field resolves this conundrum. The simplest description of the mechanism adds a quantum field (the Higgs field) that permeates all space to the Standard Model. Below some extremely high temperature, the field causes spontaneous symmetry breaking during interactions. The breaking of symmetry triggers the Higgs mechanism, causing the bosons it interacts with to have mass. In the Standard Model, the phrase "Higgs mechanism" refers specifically to the generation of masses for the W±, and Z weak gauge bosons through electroweak symmetry breaking. The Large Hadron Collider at CERN announced results consistent with the Higgs particle on 14 March 2013, making it extremely likely that the field, or one like it, exists, and explaining how the Higgs mechanism takes place in nature.
The mechanism was proposed in 1962 by Philip Warren Anderson, following work in the late 1950s on symmetry breaking in superconductivity and a 1960 paper by Yoichiro Nambu that discussed its application within particle physics.
A theory able to finally explain mass generation without "breaking" gauge theory was published almost simultaneously by three independent groups in 1964: by Robert Brout and François Englert; by Peter Higgs; and by Gerald Guralnik, C. R. Hagen, and Tom Kibble. The Higgs mechanism is therefore also called the Brout–Englert–Higgs mechanism, or Englert–Brout–Higgs–Guralnik–Hagen–Kibble mechanism, Anderson–Higgs mechanism, Anderson–Higgs–Kibble mechanism, Higgs–Kibble mechanism by Abdus Salam and ABEGHHK'tH mechanism (for Anderson, Brout, Englert, Guralnik, Hagen, Higgs, Kibble, and 't Hooft) by Peter Higgs. The Higgs mechanism in electrodynamics was also discovered independently by Eberly and Reiss in reverse
as the "gauge" Dirac field mass gain due to the artificially displaced electromagnetic field as a Higgs field.On 8 October 2013, following the discovery at CERN's Large Hadron Collider of a new particle that appeared to be the long-sought Higgs boson predicted by the theory, it was announced that Peter Higgs and François Englert had been awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics.

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  1. Y

    Searching for the Higgs Field: 95% Confidence of Existence

    Hello, For clarification because of the ambiguous situation in searching for & concerning the Higgs Field. It is with 95% confidence that the Higgs Field exists. Yet it has not been seen as of the end of 2005. I hope LHC/CERN will shed light on the subject. Anyone dealing or knowledge...
  2. J

    Finding the Higgs: Identifying the Decay Processes in Muon Colliders

    Hi, I've been looking at ways to create Higgs bosons in lepton colliders, mostly muon colliders. I have a question on how one would be certain that it is actually the Higgs that has been found. The main channel that is going to be used seems to be the so-called s-channel, where \mu^+ + \mu^-...
  3. F

    Finding particle data on the higgs resonance width?

    Greetings--I'm looking for data on estimates for the Higgs resonance width and I'm not quite sure where to look. I've checked the "Review of Particle Properties" and the Particle Data Group website, but I couldn't find an estimate for the higgs width. Any suggestions? Thanks, Flip
  4. R

    What is the difference between the Higgs Boson and Graviton?

    Hi. I hope I'm posting in the right place. I was just wondering, what is the difference between the graviton and the higgs boson. I'm not quite sure, I think I sort of understand it... but not really. Also, since I don't want to make a new thread for such a small question, is there...
  5. C

    Exploring Higgs Bosons' Role in Theory of Everything

    Hi, In what way the theorethical Higgs bosons (if experimentally detected) will contribute to the Theory of Everything ? Thanks
  6. A

    The higgs boson=the graviton= the speed of light

    an underlying fabric that permeates even a vacuum space and displays liquid like characteristics (most evident on a macro and micro cosmic scale ie wave particle duality, dark energy) the energy of this fabric is known as c, the speed of light which is the manifestation of the expansion...
  7. ZapperZ

    Supersymmetry, Extra Dimensions, and Higgs Bosons

    OK, this is so unlike me to advertize a theory activity on Supersymmetry, etc. But as a community service, I thought I should point out to those who are interested, that the Argonne Theory Institute will be starting it's Theory Institute 2005 workshop titled "Supersymmetry, Extra Dimensions, and...
  8. T

    Curving space - it is the Higgs?

    Hi, I'm new, and not sure I'm writing this in the right place or way ... how does matter curve space? is it the mass made by the Higgs that makes cpace bend? I red that einstein said space was a fabric - is that right? seems to me it can't be, cos fabric is like what clothes are made of...
  9. JamesU

    Exploring the Higgs Boson & Its Properties

    I'm wondering about the higgs boson, or "god particle". If it is said that it turned energy into matter, that has to be false, because it is matter itself. :cool:
  10. Loren Booda

    Higgs ocean, dark energy and quantum fluctuations: related manifestations?

    Brian Greene in "The Fabric of the Cosmos" gives the above three as indirect, universal fields in which we exist but have not yet directly detected. Could they be mathematically interlinked among themselves or with immediately observable phenomena?
  11. 2

    GR & Higgs Field: Linked by Mass?

    If the higgs field is responsible for giving particles their mass, isn't it then the higgs field that is responsible for the effects of GR? Is this assesment true and, if so, does it have any implecations? Could the higgs field (which has been described as an ether) and spacetime be in some way...
  12. T

    What is the evidence for a higgs particle?

    Ive started to hear a lot about this 'higgs' particle recently. Any chance sum1 can explain to me what the particle is/does/comes from etc?? any help would be great. also what are the implications of its existence?? :confused:
  13. ohwilleke

    Higgs Field & Gravity: Exploring the Intersection

    Higgs hypothesized that mass derives from the coupling constant of various particles with the Higgs Boson, a spin zero boson, which would itself have mass, which does not couple with the photon. Thus, inertial mass derives from particles in motion needed to overcome Higgs Bosons grabbing at...
  14. A

    Exploring the Concept of a Higgs Field with Brian Greene

    hi, i'm reading brian greene's "the fabric of the cosmos" and in it he explains what a higgs field is. he says the potential energy of the field is shaped like a bowl with a raised peak at the center of the bowl. further he says the vertical height above the bottom of the bowl represents...
  15. C

    Unlocking the Mysteries of Higgs Boson with Niobium: The Role of Electrons

    In recent experiment about higgs boson, scientists use niobium. Why did they choose it then? Could the reason be the easiness of picking [or something like that, i don't know the exact word for it (:] electron?
  16. K

    Confirming the Higgs Theory: Predicting Particle Masses

    If the Higgs theory is correct shouldn't it be able to predict the rest masses of all particles?
  17. O

    String Theory & Higgs Particle-Force

    In which of the String theory does the Higgs-'particle-force', dwell?
  18. W

    Gravitron Size Estimate and Higgs Boson Explained

    What is the estimate of the gravitron size and can someone explain why it must be spin 2 also what is the higgs boson it is expected to be massive, electrically neutral, and spinless. why. Cheers Woody
  19. K

    Higgs particle and electromagnetism

    The Higgs particle may never be found - Stephen Hawking doubts that it exists. If mass isn't due to the Higgs, could it be caused by electromagnetism? For example, if protons and electrons experience resistance to a change in their speeds from charged particles in the space around them,could a...
  20. K

    Black holes and Higgs particles

    Do black holes emit Higgs particles in the Hawking radiation, as particles on their own, in addition to the Higgs particles associated with the mass of other particles such as electrons, which are emitted in the Hawking radiation?
  21. K

    Do Higgs particles have the same mass and short lifetimes as other particles?

    Are Higgs particles all the same mass? Does a proton have more Higgs particles associated with its rest mass than an electron has associated with its rest mass? And does the mass of all Higgs particles equal the total rest mass of the universe? Do Higgs particles have short lifetimes like...
  22. K

    Exploring the Mass of Higgs Particles and Their Relationship to the Universe

    Are Higgs particles all the same mass? Does a proton have more Higgs particles associated with its rest mass than an electron has associated with its rest mass? And does the mass of all Higgs particles equal the total rest mass of the universe? Do Higgs particles have short lifetimes like...
  23. I

    Turbine generator + higgs boson

    My friend is wondering if its possible to use the energy of a higgs boson to use in a turbine generator. Is that possible?
  24. T

    Are There Alternatives to the Higgs Mechanism for Explaining Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking?

    Are there any other mechanisms apart from Higgs mechanism that explains the spontaneous symmetry breaking making photon massless and W and Z bosons massive? Do you really believe in the Higgs mechanism?
  25. K

    Dark energy vectors scalars higgs field

    What is the difference between a scalar field and a vector field? If I had a point mass with vectors pointing in all directions from its surface the field of the mass could be said to have a magnitude and direction in all directions.I could call this a scalar because it is different from a...
  26. S

    Exploring String Theory & the Higgs Boson

    Hi, I don't really know much about string theory, but I was wondering whether the discovery of the Higgs boson would back up string theory, or contradict it? Thanks.
  27. B

    About hierarchy problem of higgs mass

    Hi, I have a puzzle about the hierarchy problem of higgs mass. I don't understand why delta m is much larger than m. If we use MS bar scheme, the huge correction can be simply dropped and the higgs mass only get a small correction. You can also view the SM as an effecive field theory. In this...
  28. Ivan Seeking

    Higgs boson - may have been found

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3546973.stm
  29. Orion1

    Detecting Higgs Boson Resonance at CERN and Brookhaven Labs

    Cern's Accelerator and Brookhaven's Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider labs are now capable of generating and detecting the Higgs Boson resonance. The nuclear reaction is as follows: Pu244(39 Tev) + Au197 -> CMS(39 Tev) -> H115.6 GeV(1 Tev) + E Ecms = (160 GeV/nucleon)* 244 nucleons = 39 Tev...
  30. T

    Understanding the Higgs Particle

    What is a Higgs Particle?
  31. B

    Exploring the Higgs Field: What Is It and What Does It Do?

    I'm interested in information about the Higgs Field and Boson but am having trouble finding information about it. Anyone have some good sources? Looked through the book "The God Particle". It's supposed to be about the Higgs particle but only has really one page in the whole book about it...
  32. wolram

    One theory is that the higgs particle gives matter mass

    one theory is that the "higgs" particle gives matter mass one theory is that the "higgs" particle gives matter mass ,if so does it follow that gravity only interacts with the higgs particle?
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