Next-to-next-to-leading order event generation for VH production with H → $$ b\overline{b} $$ decay

Abstract

Abstract We consider the Higgsstrahlung process in hadronic collisions and present the computation of next-to-next-to-leading order predictions matched to parton showers for both production and H → $$ b\overline{b} $$ b b ¯ decay employing the MiNNLOPS method. We present predictions for ZH and W±H production including spin correlations and off-shell effects by calculating the full processes pp → ℓ+ℓ−H → ℓ+ℓ−$$ b\overline{b} $$ b b ¯ , pp → $$ {\nu}_{\ell }{\overline{\nu}}_{\ell }H $$ ν ℓ ν ¯ ℓ H → $$ {\nu}_{\ell }{\overline{\nu}}_{\ell }b\overline{b} $$ ν ℓ ν ¯ ℓ b b ¯ and pp → ℓ±νℓH → $$ {\ell}^{\pm }{\overline{\nu}}_{\ell }b\overline{b} $$ ℓ ± ν ¯ ℓ b b ¯ in the narrow-width approximation for the Higgs boson. For the W±H process, NNLO+PS accuracy in production and decay is achieved for the first time. Our calculations are validated against earlier simulations in the NNLOPS approach that includes NNLO corrections via multi-differential reweighting. The new MiNNLOPS generators for these processes, which evaluate NNLO corrections on-the-fly in the event generation, will supersede those earlier calculations. Our predictions are in good agreement with recent measurements of the Higgsstrahlung cross sections.