Fitting the b-quark PDF as a massive-b scheme: Higgs production in bottom fusion

Understand

We show that a simple and accurate approach to the computation of hadron collider processes involving initial-state $b$ quarks can be obtained by introducing an independently parametrized b PDF.

• We use the so-called FONLL method for the matching of a scheme in which the b quark is treated as a massless parton to that in which it is treated as a massive state, and extend it to the case in which the b quark PDF is not necessarily determined by perturbative matching conditions.
• This generalizes to hadronic collisions analogous results previously obtained for deep-inelastic scattering.
• The results corresponds to a `massive b' scheme, in which b mass effects are retained, yet the b quark is endowed with a PDF.