Towards model-independent approach to the analysis of interference effects in pair production of new heavy quarks

We propose a model independent approach for the analysis of interference effects in the process of QCD pair production of new heavy quarks of different species that decay into Standard Model particles, including decays via flavour changing neutral currents. By adopting as ansatz a simple analytical formula we show that one can accurately describe the interference between two different such particle pairs leading to the same final state using information about masses, total widths and couplings. A study of the effects on differential distributions is also performed showing that, when interference plays a relevant role, the distributions of the full process can be obtained by a simple rescaling of the distributions of either quark contributing to the interference term. We also present the range of validity of the analytical expression that we have found. © 2014 The Author(s).