Measurements of inclusive cross sections could show indirect evidence for new physics. In the absence of any deviation from Standard Model predictions, constraints on generic New Physics signals, often well beyond the kinematic reach of the experiment, can be placed.

Searches for excited leptons, heavy leptons, leptoquarks, etc. are well motivated in several non-SUSY extensions of the Standard Model.

The search for the Higgs boson(s) is one of the most urgent in High Energy Physics. The Standard Model includes as a key ingredient a fundamental scalar field of known mass but well defined properties (which depend on its mass). In Supersymmetry, more than one Higgs boson is required. Although the lightest one is similar to the SM Higgs boson, others could be within reach of LEP 2. The phenomenology depends on additional theoretical parameters, so a complete coverage of all possibilities requires more effort than in the case of the SM Higgs boson.

The Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) postulates the existence of many new particles, none of which have been observed - yet. Some of the lightest states could well be within reach of the LEP 2 collider. The search for these "sparticles" has kindled much experimental activity, resulting in a wide variety of general topological searches and also tests of specific models.

M.Schmitt