The most likely spin assignments of the recently discovered 126 GeV resonance are spin 0 or 2. In order to distinguish between the two, we construct an effective Lagrangian model that comprises interactions of a spin-2 electroweak singlet or triplet state with the Standard Model gauge bosons. Within this model, cross sections and differential distributions are calculated and implemented within the Monte Carlo program Vbfnlo, which simulates vector-boson-fusion processes at hadron colliders at next-to-leading order QCD accuracy. We study the phenomenology of spin-2 resonances produced in vector-boson-fusion processes at the LHC. Specifically, we consider light Higgs-like spin-2 resonances decaying into two photons and show how angular distributions allow us to distinguish between a Standard Model Higgs and a spin-2 resonance. We also investigate the characteristics of heavy spin-2 resonances that decay into two weak gauge bosons, leading to a four-lepton final state.

• Received 27 November 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.87.055020