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Modelling $b\bar b H$ production for the LHC at 13.6 TeV
by Christian Biello, Alessandro Gavardi, Rebecca von Kuk, Matthew A. Lim, Stefano Manzoni, Elena Mazzeo, Javier Mazzitelli, Aparna Sankar, Michael Spira, Frank J. Tackmann, Marius Wiesemann, Giulia Zanderighi, Marco Zaro
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Christian Biello · Michael Spira · Frank Tackmann · Marco Zaro |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.18815v1 (pdf) |
| Date accepted: | Jan. 6, 2026 |
| Date submitted: | Oct. 31, 2025, 6:37 p.m. |
| Submitted by: | Christian Biello |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics Community Reports |
| for consideration in Collection: |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approaches: | Theoretical, Phenomenological |
Abstract
We present new state-of-the-art predictions for Standard Model Higgs boson production in association with a bottom-quark pair ($b\bar bH$). Updated cross sections are computed in accordance with the recommendations of the LHC Higgs Working Group, including the use of the PDF4LHC21 set of parton distribution functions, with a center-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV. For the total inclusive cross section, we provide matched predictions of the massless five-flavour scheme (5FS) and the massive four-flavour scheme (4FS) at the fixed-order level. We further present recently obtained simulations matched with parton showers in both flavour schemes within the SM, and also discuss them in the context of potential BSM scenarios. In the massless scheme, we compare different NNLO+PS predictions obtained through the MiNNLOPS and GENEVA generators. In addition, the role of 4FS predictions is studied as a background to $HH$ searches, considering both the top-quark and bottom-quark Yukawa contributions to $b\bar bH$ production. Finally, we analyse the sensitivity of the Higgs transverse momentum spectrum to light-quark Yukawa couplings in the diphoton decay channel based on MiNNLOPS simulations.
Current status:
Editorial decision:
For Journal SciPost Physics Community Reports: Publish
(status: Editorial decision fixed and (if required) accepted by authors)
Reports on this Submission
Report
art theoretical predictions for the cross section of associated production
of a bottom-antibottom pair with a Standard Model Higgs boson at the LHC
(bbH for short). In my opinion, it satisfies the publication criteria of
this journal.
It clearly explains how different contributions to the cross section are
combined (in particular top- and bottom-Yukawa induced), and how the
4FS and 5FS predictions are matched. Furthermore, it provides the
Higgs-pT-distributions including pT-resummation and matched to the
N3LO inclusive cross section. Section 5 describes Monte-Carlo simulations
for bbH production at NNLO accuracy and matched to a parton shower,
comparing results obtained with the MiNNLOPS and the Geneva method.
Also considered are cross sections for heavy BSM Higgs bosons.
In Section 6, it is studied how the bbH process can be separated from
possible HH signal at the LHC. Finally, Section 7 generalizes to the qqH
process, where q is one of the four lighter quark flavors, targetting
again certain classes of BSM scenarios.
The paper is the result of a collaboration of a relatively large group of
people (13 authors) which I believe are all part of the LHC Higgs Working
Group. Such efforts are very desirable in order to clearly identify the source
of any possible differences in different theoretical predictions and provide a
clear recommendation to the experimental community which takes any systematic ambiguities into account.
I therefore recommend the paper for publication
without changes.
Recommendation
Publish (meets expectations and criteria for this Journal)
Strengths
Weaknesses
Report
Recommendation
Ask for minor revision
Author: Christian Biello on 2025-12-23 [id 6178]
(in reply to Report 1 on 2025-12-03)We thank the Referee for taking the time to review our manuscript and for the valuable feedback and questions. In the attached reply, we answered the questions raised by the Referee. We have made corrections and improvements to the manuscript in accordance with the Referee’s suggestions; these changes are incorporated in the updated report provided in the second part of the attached reply. We hope the answers and the modifications are convincing and that the manuscript meets all the requirements for publication. We remain at your disposal for additional comments.
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