Name: Abby
Status: student
Grade: 9-12
Location: IL
Country: USA
Date: Summer 2012
Question:
In terms of the Higgs Boson, the Standard Model states that there is a Higgs field. Does this field continue to propagate (I think at the speed of light) even though the Higgs particle has decayed? Do we need a Higgs Boson to study the effect of the field it has on other particles (sending particles through the field in the moment before decay -- I think this would be difficult), or is there some other way to study the Higgs field? Since some cosmic rays are at higher energies than the LHC, would studying cosmic rays be a way to study the Higgs field?
Replies:
Abby,
We are experiencing a study of the Higgs field every time we acknowledge mass. The field does propagate after the boson has decayed.
I believe the details of how Higgs originates, decays, propagates and interacts await further study by curious investigators like you. Higgs will eventually be studied at multiple energies, if allowed... this study is incredibly costly.
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