A "littlest Higgs" model with custodial SU(2) symmetry

In this note, a "littlest higgs" model is presented which has an approximate custodial SU(2) symmetry. The model is based on the coset space SO(9)/(SO(5) x SO(4)). The light pseudo-goldstone bosons of the theory include a single higgs doublet below a TeV and a set of three SU(2)w triplets and an electroweak singlet in the TeV range. All of these scalars obtain approximately custodial SU(2) preserving vacuum expectation values. This model addresses a defect in the earlier SO(5) x SU(2) x U(1) moose model, with the only extra complication being an extended top sector. Some of the precision electroweak observables are computed and do not deviate appreciably from Standard Model predictions. In an S-T oblique analysis, the dominant non-Standard Model contributions are the extended top sector and higgs doublet contributions. In conclusion, a wide range of higgs masses is allowed in a large region of parameter space consistent with naturalness, where large higgs masses requires some mild custodial SU(2) violation from the extended top sector.