Combined search for anomalous pseudoscalar HW couplings in VH(H -> b(b)over-bar) production and H -> VV decay

A search for anomalous pseudoscalar couplings of the Higgs boson H to electroweak vector bosons V ((=W) or Z) in a sample of proton–proton collision events corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.9 fb({-1}) at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV is presented. Events consistent with the topology of associated (VH) production, where the Higgs boson decays to a pair of bottom quarks and the vector boson decays leptonically, are analyzed. The consistency of data with a potential pseudoscalar contribution to the (HVV) interaction, expressed by the effective pseudoscalar cross section fractions ({f}{{a}{3}}), is assessed by means of profile likelihood scans. Results are given for the (VH) channels alone and for a combined analysis of the (VH) and previously published (H\to VV) channels. Under certain assumptions, ({f}{{a}{3}}^{ZZ}>0.0034) is excluded at 95% confidence level in the combination. Scenarios in which these assumptions are relaxed are also considered.