Observation of a New Boson at a Mass of 125 GeV with the CMS Experiment at the LHC
2012 · paper · Physics
Presents CMS searches for the Standard Model Higgs boson in proton collisions at 7 and 8 TeV across five decay modes. It observes an excess near 125 GeV at 5.0 standard deviations, signalling a new particle, with a measured mass of about 125.3 GeV.
Checked: PDF from arxiv.org, fetched 4 Oct 2026. Page numbers are those of that PDF.
1 finding
Reference or label Reference [131] reads "JINST 7 (2011) P01001, doi:10.1088/1748-0221/7/01/P01001"; the year 2011 does not match volume 7, which the reference list's own pattern puts in 2012.
- p. 42 Reference [131]
JINST 7 (2011) P01001, doi:10.1088/1748-0221/7/01/P01001
- p. 42 Reference [131]
JINST 7 (2011) P01001
Only the authors can say what is right here.
Judge's note: Rests on outside knowledge: JINST volume 7 is the 2012 volume. Checked the p. 42 image, which shows 'JINST 7 (2011) P01001'. Within the paper, JINST 6 is dated 2011 (refs at text lines 2530 and 2534) and JINST 3 is dated 2008, so volume 7 would be 2012. The year 2011 is likely wrong; the authors should confirm.
Second check: another model agreed
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4 minor (typos and the like; most checked by the judge only)
Reference or label Figure 11 (8 TeV Z(νν)H(bb) BDT distribution) is labelled "√s = 8 TeV, L = 5.0 fb-1", whereas Table 1 (bb row: 5.0 at 7 TeV, 5.1 at 8 TeV) and the Fig. 12 header ("√s = 8 TeV, L = 5.1 fb-1") give 5.1 fb-1 for the 8 TeV bb data.
- p. 25 Figure 11 header label
s = 8 TeV, L = 5.0 fb
- p. 7 Table 1, bb row
110–135 5.0 5.1
- p. 26 Figure 12 label
s = 8 TeV, L = 5.1 fb
- p. 7 Table 1, bb row
bb lepton, E miss T (VH) 10 110–135 5.0 5.1
Only the authors can say what is right here.
Judge's note: Checked the images of p. 25 (Fig. 11 label: 8 TeV, 5.0 fb-1), p. 26 (Fig. 12 header: 7 TeV 5.0 fb-1, 8 TeV 5.1 fb-1) and the Table 1 crop on p. 7 (bb row: 5.0 and 5.1). The Fig. 11 caption says the plot shows the 8 TeV data set. The paper does not mention a different luminosity for the Z(νν)H subchannel. A subchannel-specific luminosity is possible, so this is left as a query to the authors.
Second check: another model agreed
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Wording In Table 3, 2e2µ column, 'All backgrounds (110 < m4ℓ < 160 GeV)' is "9.7 ± 1.8", whereas ZZ background 7.2 ± 0.8 plus Z+X 2.3 (+1.8, −1.4) sums to 9.5.
- p. 15 Table 3, All backgrounds (110<m4l<160 GeV), 2e2µ column
9.7 ± 1.8
Judge's note: Checked the Table 3 image on p. 15. 4e: 2.7 + 1.2 = 3.9, printed 4.0. 4µ: 5.7 + 0.9 = 6.6, printed 6.6. 4ℓ: 15.6 + 4.4 = 20.0, printed 20. 2e2µ: 7.2 + 2.3 = 9.5, printed 9.7, a gap of 0.2, which rounding of two one-decimal inputs cannot fully explain. The Z+X uncertainties are strongly asymmetric, so the total may have been formed from distributions rather than by adding central values. The 4e column shows a similar upward offset of 0.1. The paper does not explain this. It is a minor consistency point.
Second check: another model agreed
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Wording The Fig. 17 caption says "the relative signal strengths for the three decay modes are constrained", but the three items are channels (untagged γγ, dijet-tagged γγ, ZZ → 4ℓ) drawn from two decay modes.
- p. 31 Figure 17 caption
the relative signal strengths for the three decay modes are constrained
- p. 30 Section 7.2
for the three channels (untagged γγ, dijet-tagged γγ, and ZZ →4ℓ)
Judge's note: The Fig. 17 caption (p.31) says "three decay modes". Section 7.2 text (p.30) correctly says "three channels". This is a wording inaccuracy.
Second check: another model agreed
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Typo Ref. [69] title is printed as "Higgs production at the lHC", with a lowercase l; the paper writes "LHC" everywhere else.
- p. 38 Reference list, [69] Baglio and Djouadi
Higgs production at the lHC
Only the authors can say what is right here.
Judge's note: Rests on outside knowledge: whether the original title of Baglio & Djouadi, JHEP 03 (2011) 055, itself uses "lHC" (it may do so deliberately). The page shows "lHC" as quoted.
Second check: none (judge only)