Threshold resummation for high-transverse-momentum Higgs production at the LHC
D. de Florian, A. Kulesza, W. Vogelsang
TL;DR
Problem: high-p_T Higgs production at the LHC is plagued by large threshold logarithms in QCD that degrade fixed-order perturbative predictions. Approach: perform all-order threshold resummation at NLL accuracy in Mellin space and match to NLO, applied to $pp \to H+X$ at high $p_T$ with the large-$m_t$ effective coupling. Contributions: derive the resummed cross section with universal and process-dependent components, implement matching via the standard subtraction scheme, and demonstrate the Minimal Prescription for inverse Mellin transformation. Findings: soft-gluon effects dominate the cross section in the considered kinematics; the resummed results reproduce the fixed-order NLO within ~10% across the $p_T$ range and improve theoretical control, especially at very high $p_T$. Significance: enhances precision Higgs cross-section predictions at the LHC and informs less inclusive analyses like $H+$jet+$X$ studies.
Abstract
We study the resummation of large logarithmic QCD corrections for the process pp ->H+ X when the Higgs boson H is produced at high transverse momentum. The corrections arise near the threshold for partonic reaction and originate from soft gluon emission. We perform the all-order resummation at next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy and match the resummed result with the next-to-leading order perturbative predictions. The effect of resummation on the Higgs transverse momentum distribution at the LHC is discussed.