A Bayesian Search for the Higgs Particle

The statistical procedure used in the search for the Higgs boson is investigated in this paper. A Bayesian hierarchical model is proposed that uses the information provided by the theory in the analysis of the data generated by the particle detectors. In addition, we develop a Bayesian decision making procedure that combines the two steps of the current method (discovery and exclusion) into one and can be calibrated to satisfy frequency theory error rate requirements. .