Finite fermion mass effects in pseudoscalar Higgs production via gluon-gluon fusion

We compute the leading logarithmic behaviour of the cross-section for the production of a pseudoscalar Higgs boson in gluon-gluon fusion to all-orders in perturbation theory, in the limit of large partonic centre of mass energy. We also calculate the Higgs rapidity distribution to the same accuracy. We include the contributions of top and bottom quarks, together with their interference. Our results are given in terms of single and double integrals, evaluated explicitly up to next-to next-to leading order (NNLO). We use our results to improve the known NNLO inclusive cross-section computed in the effective theory where the fermions in the loop are integrated out. The size of finite fermion mass effects on the inclusive cross-section is found to be small, reaching a few percent only for large values of the pseudoscalar mass. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.