Exploring New Physics Through Contact Interactions in Lepton Pair Production at a Linear Collider

Abstract

If a contact interaction type correction to a Standard Model process is observed, studying its detailed properties can provide information on the fundamental physics responsible for it. Assuming that such a correction has been observed in lepton pair production at a 500 GeV - 1 TeV linear collider, we consider a few possible models that could explain it, such as theories with large and TeV-scale extra dimensions and models with lepton compositeness. We show that using the measured cross-sections and angular distributions, these models can be distinguished with a high degree of confidence.

Comments: Contributed to APS / DPF / DPB Summer Study on the Future of Particle Physics (Snowmass 2001), Snowmass, Colorado, 30 Jun - 21 Jul 2001