Phenomenology of nuclear shadowing in deep-inelastic scattering

We investigate shadowing effects in deep-inelastic scattering from nuclei at small valuesx < 0.1 of the Bjorken variable. Unifying aspects of generalized vector meson dominance and color transparency we first develop a model for deep-inelastic scattering from free nucleons at smallx. In application to nuclear targets we find that the coherent interaction of quark-antiquark fluctuations with nucleons in a nucleus leads to the observed shadowing atx < 0.1. We compare our results with most of the recent data for a large variety of nuclei and examine in particular the Q² dependence of the shadowing effect. While the coherent interaction of low mass vector mesons causes a major part of the shadowing observed in the Q² range of current experiments, the coherent scattering of continuum quark-antiquark pairs is also important and guarantees a very weak overall Q² dependence of the effect. We also discuss shadowing in deuterium and its implications for the quark flavor structure of nucleons. Finally we comment on shadowing effects in high-energy photon-nucleus reactions with real photons.     

Shadowing in deep inelastic muon scattering from nuclear targets

Results are presented on the ratio of the inelastic muon-nucleus cross section per nucleon for carbon and calcium relative to that for deuterium. The measurements were made in the kinematic range of low x (0.003–0.1) and low Q² (0.3–3.2 GeV²) at an incident muon energy of 280 GeV. The calcium to deuterium ratio shows a significant x dependence which is interpreted as a shadowing effect. No strong Q² dependence is observed. This suggests that the effect is due at least partially to parton interactions within the nucleus.     

Measurement of the ratios of deep inelastic muon-nucleus cross sections on various nuclei compared to deuterium

Results are presented on the ratios of the deep inelastic muon-nucleus cross sections for carbon, copper and tin nuclei to those measured on deuterium. The data confirm that the structure functions of the nucleon measured in nuclei are different from those measured on quasi-free nucleons in deuterium. The kinematic range of the data is such that 〈Q²〉 ∼ 5 GeV² at x ∼ 0.03, increasing to 〈Q²〉 ∼ 35 GeV² for x ∼ 0.65. The measured cross section ratios are less than unity for x ≲ 0.05 and for 0.25 ≲ x < 0.7. The decrease of the ratio below unity for low x becomes larger as A increases as might be expected from nuclear shadowing. However, this occurs at relatively large values of Q² (∼ 5 GeV²) indicating that such shadowing is of patrionic origin.     

Measurement and QCD analysis of the diffractive deep-inelastic scattering cross section at HERA

A detailed analysis is presented of the diffractive deep-inelastic scattering process ep→eXY, where Y is a proton or a low mass proton excitation carrying a fraction 1-x_IP>0.95 of the incident proton longitudinal momentum and the squared four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex satisfies |t|<1 GeV². Using data taken by the H1 experiment, the cross section is measured for photon virtualities in the range 3.5≤Q²≤1600 GeV², triple differentially in x_IP, Q² and β=x/x_IP, where x is the Bjorken scaling variable. At low x_IP, the data are consistent with a factorisable x_IP dependence, which can be described by the exchange of an effective pomeron trajectory with intercept α_IP(0)=1.118±0.008(exp.)^+0.029 _-0.010(model). Diffractive parton distribution functions and their uncertainties are determined from a next-to-leading order DGLAP QCD analysis of the Q² and β dependences of the cross section. The resulting gluon distribution carries an integrated fraction of around 70% of the exchanged momentum in the Q² range studied. Total and differential cross sections are also measured for the diffractive charged current process e⁺p→ν̄_eXY and are found to be well described by predictions based on the diffractive parton distributions. The ratio of the diffractive to the inclusive neutral current ep cross sections is studied. Over most of the kinematic range, this ratio shows no significant dependence on Q² at fixed x_IP and x or on x at fixed Q² and β.     

A measurement of the proton structure function F2(x,Q2)

A measurement of the proton structure function F₂(x, Q²) is reported for momentum transfers squared Q² between 4.5 GeV² and 1600 GeV² and for Bjorken x between 1.8 × 10⁻¹⁴ and 0.13 using data collected by the HERA experiment H1 in 1993. It is observed that F₂ increases significantly with decreasing x, confirming our previous measurement made with one tenth of the data available in this analysis. The Q² dependence is approximately logarithmic over the full kinematic range covered. The subsample of deep inelastic events with a large pseudo-rapidity gap in the hadronic energy flow close to the proton remnant is used to measure the “diffractive” contribution to F₂.     

Proton dissociative ρ and elastic φ electroproduction at HERA

The electroproduction of ρ mesons with proton diffractive dissociation for Q ² > 7 GeV² and the elastic electroproduction of φ mesons for Q ² > 6 GeV² are studied in e ⁺ p collisions at HERA with the H1 detector, for an integrated luminosity of 2.8 pb^-1. The dependence of the cross sections on P _t ² and Q ² is measured, and the vector meson polarisation obtained. The cross section ratio between proton dissociative and elastic production of ρ mesons is measured and discussed in the framework of the factorisation hypothesis of diffractive vertices. The ratio of the elastic cross section for φ and ρ meson production is investigated as a function of Q ².     

Analysis of the logarithmic slope of <Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> from the Regge gluon density behavior at small <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis>

We study the accuracy of the Regge behavior of the gluon distribution function for an approximate relation that is frequently used to extract the logarithmic slopes of the structure function from the gluon distribution at small x. We show that the Regge behavior analysis results are comparable with HERA data and are also better than other methods that expand the gluon density at distinct points of expansion. We also show that for Q ² = 22.4 GeV², the x dependence of the data is well described by gluon shadowing corrections to the GLR-MQ equation. The resulting analytic expression allows us to predict the logarithmic derivative ∂F ₂(x, Q ²)/∂lnQ ² and to compare the results with the H1 data and a QCD analysis fit with the MRST parameterization input.     

On the Q 2 dependence of nuclear structure functions

The recent high statistics NMC data on the Tin to Carbon structure function ratio seems to indicate, for the first time, a significant Q ² dependence, especially at small values of Bjorken x, x < 0.05, and Q ² > 1 GeV². A purely log(Q ²)-type dependence of the structure functions, which is consistent with the free nucleon data, yields a fairly flat ratio with little or no Q ² dependence. In view of this seeming contradiction, we re-examine the applicability of such a model to nuclear structure functions in such a kinematical regime. We find that the model is consistent with all data, within experimental errors, without any need for introducing additional Q ² dependences or higher twist contributions. The model correctly reproduces the Q ² dependence of the Carbon structure function as well. We also critically examine the Q ² dependence of the corresponding spin dependent structure functions.     

Diffractive deep-inelastic scattering with a leading proton at HERA

The cross section for the diffractive deep-inelastic scattering process ep→eXp is measured, with the leading final state proton detected in the H1 Forward Proton Spectrometer. The data analysed cover the range x_IP<0.1 in fractional proton longitudinal momentum loss, 0.08<|t|<0.5 GeV^-2 in squared four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex, 2<Q²<50 GeV² in photon virtuality and 0.004<β=x/x_IP<1, where x is the Bjorken scaling variable. For , the differential cross section has a dependence of approximately dσ/dt∝e^6t, independently of x_IP, β and Q² within uncertainties. The cross section is also measured triple differentially in x_IP, β and Q². The x_IP dependence is interpreted in terms of an effective pomeron trajectory with intercept α_IP(0)=1.114±0.018(stat.)±0.012(syst.)^+0.040 _-0.020(model) and a sub-leading exchange. The data are in good agreement with an H1 measurement for which the event selection is based on a large gap in the rapidity distribution of the final state hadrons, after accounting for proton dissociation contributions in the latter. Within uncertainties, the dependence of the cross section on x and Q² can thus be factorised from the dependences on all studied variables which characterise the proton vertex, for both the pomeron and the sub-leading exchange.     

Measurement of coherent elastic and inelastic deuteron-proton scattering at s = 2800 GeV2

Data on coherent elastic and inelastic deuteron-proton scattering are presented. The measurements were made at the CERN ISR with a single arm spectrometer, at s = 2800 GeV² and momentum transfer squared (?t) in the range 0.15 to 0.42 GeV².The data are compared with elastic and inelastic diffractive proton-proton scattering data taken with the same apparatus at the same s and t values. The t dependence of the elastic dp → dp differential cross section is compared to simple predictions based on Glauber theory. The differential cross sections for pp → pX and dp → dX are also compared for M_X² → 280 GeV², where M_X denotes the mass of system X recoiling against the measured proton and deuteron.     

Measurement of the Q and energy dependence of diffractive interactions at HERA

Diffractive dissociation of virtual photons, , has been studied in ep interactions with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data cover photon virtualities 0.17 < Q ² < 0.70 GeV² and 3 < Q ² < 80 GeV² with 3 < M_X < 38 GeV, where M_X is the mass of the hadronic final state. Diffractive events were selected by two methods: the first required the detection of the scattered proton in the ZEUS leading proton spectrometer (LPS); the second was based on the distribution of M_X. The integrated luminosities of the low- and high-Q² samples used in the LPS-based analysis are 0.9 pb^-1 and 3.3 pb^-1, respectively. The sample used for the M_X-based analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 6.2 pb^-1. The dependence of the diffractive cross section on W, the virtual photon-proton centre-of-mass energy, and on Q² is studied. In the low-Q² range, the energy dependence is compatible with Regge theory and is used to determine the intercept of the Pomeron trajectory. The W dependence of the diffractive cross section exhibits no significant change from the low-Q² to the high-Q² region. In the low-Q² range, little Q² dependence is found, a significantly different behaviour from the rapidly falling cross section measured for Q ² > 3 GeV². The ratio of the diffractive to the virtual photon-proton total cross section is studied as a function of W and Q². Comparisons are made with a model based on perturbative QCD. Received: 27 March 2002 / Published online: 9 August 2002     

Early scaling in two photon reactions?

We show that the interpretation given by the TPC/2γ collaboration that their results for the photon structure functionF ₂ ^γ (x) indicates precocious scaling forQ ²>0.3 GeV² andx<0.1 is questionable. It appears to be a spurious effect possibly due to the fact that (i) the authors do not include two prong events (important at lowW), and (ii) in presenting the data they have averaged theW dependence in eachQ ² bin. To estimate the pointlike contribution of the offshell photon, we use the quark parton model (QPM) and find that this accounts for the data forQ ²>20 GeV² and all values ofW. This hard component is also responsible for the bulk of the cross section at lowQ ² andW<3 GeV. The soft or hadronic component is shown to dominate only at highW>6 GeV for values ofQ ²≤10 GeV².     

pp interactions at 303 GeVc: Analysis of diffraction excitation in the reaction pp → pX

The properties of the diffractively excited system observed at low missing mass in the inclusive pp → pX reaction at $\text{303}\text{GeV}\text{c}$ are presented. For diffraction excitation with |x| > 0.9, the cross section, σ_D=(5.6±0.8) mb, the mean charged multiplicity depends on the mass of the diffractive system approximately at 〈n_c〉 ≈ 0.6M_x + 2, and the slope of the momentum transfer distribution with |t| < 0.5 GeV² is 7.5±0.8 GeV^?2.     

Colour transparency and scaling properties of nuclear shadowing in deep inelastic scattering

We present the perturbative QCD analysis of nuclear shadowing in the deep inelastic scattering at smallx in terms of the spatial wave function ofq \(\bar q\) fluctuations of virtual photons. The wave function formalism makes it quite obvious that shadowing is the scaling, rather than the higher twist, 1/Q ², effect, contrary to a numerous recent claims. We demonstrate explicitly how the scaling shadowing comes from the large, hadronic, size quarkantiquark pairs even in the limit ofQ ²→∞, and why it should very slowly, ∞1/log (Q ²/m ²) decrease at very largeQ ². We argue in favor of the scaling triple-pomeron contribution to the nuclear shadowing and present predictions for a cross section of diffraction dissociation of virtual photons and for the mass spectrum of diffraction excitation, which can be checked at HERA and Fermilab. We predict strikingly different scaling properties of diffraction dissociation and nuclear shadowing for the longitudinal and transverse photons. Our, numerial predictions for shadowing are in good agreement with the recent EMC data.     

Tests of QCD factorisation in the diffractive production of dijets in deep-inelastic scattering and photoproduction at HERA

Measurements are presented of differential dijet cross sections in diffractive photoproduction (Q²<0.01 GeV²) and deep-inelastic scattering processes (DIS, 4<Q²<80 GeV²). The event topology is given by ep→eXY, in which the system X, containing at least two jets, is separated from a leading low-mass baryonic system Y by a large rapidity gap. The dijet cross sections are compared with NLO QCD predictions based on diffractive parton densities previously obtained from a QCD analysis of inclusive diffractive DIS cross sections by H1. In DIS, the dijet data are well described, supporting the validity of QCD factorisation. The diffractive DIS dijet data are more sensitive to the diffractive gluon density at high fractional parton momentum than the measurements of inclusive diffractive DIS. In photoproduction, the predicted dijet cross section has to be multiplied by a factor of approximately 0.5 for both direct and resolved photon interactions to describe the measurements. The ratio of measured dijet cross section to NLO prediction in photoproduction is a factor 0.5±0.1 smaller than the same ratio in DIS. This suppression is the first clear observation of QCD hard scattering factorisation breaking at HERA. The measurements are also compared to the two soft colour neutralisation models SCI and GAL. The SCI model describes diffractive dijet production in DIS but not in photoproduction. The GAL model fails in both kinematic regions.     

Quasielastic versus inelastic and deep inelastic lepton scattering in nuclei at x > 1

We have made a thorough investigation of the nuclear structure function W_2A in the region of 0.8 < x < 1.5 and Q² < 20 GeV², separating the quasielastic and inelastic plus deep inelastic contributions. The agreement with present experimental data is good giving support to the results for both channels. Predictions are made in yet unexplored regions of x and Q² to assert the weight of the quasielastic or inelastic channels. We find that at Q² < 4 GeV² the structure function is dominated by the quasielastic contributions for x < 1.5, while for values of Q² > 15 GeV² and the range of x studied the inelastic channels are over one order of magnitude bigger than the quasielastic one. The potential of the structure function at x > 1 as a source of information on nuclear correlations is stressed once more.     

Inclusive single-particle distributions and transverse momenta of forward produced charged hadrons in μp scattering at 470 GeV

Using data from the Fermilab fixed target experiment E665, general properties of forward produced charged hadrons in μp interactions at a primary muon energy of 470 GeV are investigated. The normalized inclusive singleparticle distributions for Feynman-x D(xF ) and for the transverse momentum D(p ² _t , xF ) are measured as a function of W and Q ². The dependence of the average transverse momentum squared 〈p ² _t〉 on xF , W and Q ² is studied. The increasing contribution from diffractive production as Q ² decreases leads to a reduction of the average charged hadron multiplicities at low (positive) xF and an enhancement at large xF , for Q ² ? 10 GeV². It also reduces 〈p ² _t〉 for Q2 ? 5 GeV2 and 0.4 ? xF < 1.0.     

Parametrization of nuclear parton distributions

Optimum nuclear parton distributions are obtained by analysing available experimental data on electron and muon deep inelastic scattering (DIS). The distributions are given at Q ²=1 GeV² with a number of parameters, which are determined by a X ² analysis of the data. Valencequark distributions are relatively well determined at medium x, but they are slightly dependent on the assumed parametrization form particularly at small x. Although antiquark distributions are shadowed at small x, their behavior is not obvious at medium x from the F ₂ data. The gluon distributions could not be restricted well by the inclusive DIS data; however, the analysis tends to support the gluon shadowing at small x. We provide analytical expressions and computer subroutines for calculating the nuclear parton distributions, so that other researchers could use them for applications to other high-energy nuclear reactions.     

Structure functions of nuclei for all x and Q 2

We propose a modified version of the quark cluster model to describe the structure functions of nuclei over the complete kinematical region of the variables x = Q ²/2m _N ν and Q ². The model accounts for shadowing effects at very small x and anti-shadowing in the region 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.3. The experimental observation that the ratio of structure functions F ₂ ^A /F ₂ ^D is less than unity in the region x ? 0.5 is related to the influence of multiquark clusters. The model agrees with all available data on nuclear structure fuctions for a large variety of nuclei, and can be used to make predictions for kinematical regions not yet studied experimentally.     

Diffraction at HERA, Color Opacity and Nuclear Shadowing in DIS off nuclei

The QCD factorization theorem for diffractive processes in DIS is used to derive formulae for the leading twist contribution to the nuclear shadowing of parton distributions in the low thickness limit (due to the coherent projectile (photon) interactions with two nucleons). Based on the current analyzes of diffraction at HERA we find that the average strength of the interactions which govern diffraction in the gluon sector at x≤ 10⁻³, Q ₀= 2 GeV is ∼50mb. This is three times larger than in the quark sector and suggests that applicability of DGLAP approximation requires significantly larger Q ₀ in the gluon sector. We use this information on diffraction to estimate the higher order shadowing terms due to the photon interactions with N≥ 3 nucleons which are important for the scattering of heavy nuclei and to calculate nuclear shadowing and Q ² dependence of gluon densities. For the heavy nuclei the amount of the gluon shadowing: G _A(x,Q ₀ ²) /AG _N(x,Q ₀ ²)_{|x ≤ 10−3}∼ 0.25–0.4 is sensitive to the probability of the small size configurations within wave function of the gluon “partonometer” at the Q ₀ scale. At this scale for A∼ 200 the nonperturbative contribution to the gluon density is reduced by a factor of 4–5 at x≤ 10⁻³ unmasking PQCD physics in the gluon distribution of heavy nuclei. We point out that the shadowing of this magnitude would strongly modify the first stage of the heavy ion collisions at the LHC energies, and also would lead to large color opacity effects in eA collisions at HERA energies. In particular, the leading twist contribution to the cross section of the coherent J/ψ production off A≥ 12 nuclei at s ⁻²≥ 70 GeV is strongly reduced as compared to the naive color transparency expectations. The Gribov black body limit for F _2A(x,Q ²) is extended to the case of the gluon distributions in nuclei and shown to be relevant for the HERA kinematics of eA collisions. Properties of the final states are also briefly discussed. Received: 12 March 1999