Heavy Higgs bosons in the Weinberg-Salam model

We search for a systematic way to characterize the low-energy sensitivity of the minimal Weinberg-Salam model to a heavy-Higgs-boson sector. We find that it is convenient to view this theory as the regulated version of a nonlinear model coupled to an SU (2) ₋ (1) Yang-Mills theory. Within this framework, M₇ acts as the regulator. Using the symmetry properties of the nonlinear theory, along with a power-counting analysis, we are able to classify low-energy observables according to their sensitivity to M₇. We find that, at one loop, the greatest sensitivity is logarithmic. An illustration of these ideas is provided by a calculation of the one-loop, M₇-dependent corrections to the natural relation Mₖ{Mₙ} cos=1. Finally, we discuss other possible applications of this technique.