Measurement of the proton structure function F 2 at low x and low Q 2 at HERA

We report on a measurement of the proton structure function F ₂ in the range 3.5 × 10^?5 ≤ x ≤ 4 × 10^?3 and 1.5 GeV² ≤ Q ² ≤ 15 GeV² at the ep collider HERA operating at a centre-of-mass energy of ${sqrt s} = 300 {? GeV}$. The rise of F ₂ with decreasing x observed in the previous HERA measurements persists in this lower x and Q ² range. The Q ² evolution of F ₂, even at the lowest Q ² and x measured, is consistent with perturbative QCD.     

On the rise of the proton structure function F2 towards low x

A measurement of the derivative (∂ lnF₂/∂ lnx)_Q²≡−λ(x,Q²) of the proton structure function F₂ is presented in the low x domain of deeply inelastic positron–proton scattering. For 5×10⁻⁵x0.01 and Q²1.5 GeV², λ(x,Q²) is found to be independent of x and to increase linearly with lnQ².     

Measurement of the proton structure function F 2 at low x and low Q 2 at HERA

We report on a measurement of the proton structure functionF ₂ in the range 3.5×10⁻⁵≤x≤4×10⁻³ and 1.5 GeV²≤Q ²≤15GeV² at theep collider HERA operating at a centre-of-mass energy of √s=300GeV. The rise ofF ₂ with decreasingx observed in the previous HERA measurements persists in this lowerx andQ ² range. TheQ ² evolution ofF ₂, even at the lowestQ ² andx measured, is consistent with perturbative QCD. supported by EU HCM contract ERB-CHRX-CT93-0376     

On the possibility of measuringF L (x,Q 2) at HERA using radiative events

It is shown that a significant measurement of the longitudinal structure functionF _L (x, Q ²) can be performed at HERA, forQ ²=2 GeV² andQ ²=5 GeV² and forx around 10^?4, using radiative events with hard photon emission collinear to the incident lepton beam, under the present running conditions and with an integrated luminosity of 10 pb^?1. The influence of experimental conditions is discussed.     

Measurement of the proton structure functionF2 from the 1993 HERA data

The ZEUS detector has been used to measure the proton structure functionF ₂. During 1993 HERA collided 26.7 GeV electrons on 820 GeV protons. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 0.54 pb^–1, representing a twenty fold increase in statistics compared to that of 1992. Results are presented for 7Q ²<>⁴ GeV² andx values as low as 3×10^–4. The rapid rise inF ₂ asx decreases observed previously is now studied in greater detail and persists forQ ² values up to 500 GeV².supported by Worldlab, Lausanne, Switzerland     

Deep-inelastic scattering in κ factorization and the anatomy of the differential gluon structure function of the proton

The differential gluon structure function of the proton, ?(x, Q ²), introduced by Fadin, Kuraev, and Lipatov in 1975 is extensively used in small-x QCD. We report here the first determination of ?(x, Q ²) from experimental data on the small-x proton structure function F _2p (x, Q ²). We give convenient parametrizations for ?(x, Q ²) based partly on the available DGLAP evolution fits (GRV, CTEQ, and MRS) to parton distribution functions and on realistic extrapolations into the soft region. We discuss the impact of soft gluons on various observables. The x dependence of the so-determined ?(x, Q ²) varies strongly with Q ² and does not exhibit simple Regge properties. Nonetheless, the hard-to-soft diffusion is found to give rise to a viable approximation of the proton structure function F _2p (x, Q ²) by the soft and hard Regge components with intercepts Δ_soft=0 and Δ_hard ～ 0.4.     

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 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.     

Measurement of the structure functionsF 2 andxF 3 and comparison with QCD predictions including kinematical and dynamical higher twist effects

The isoscalar nucleon structure functionsF ₂(x, Q ²) andxF ₃(x, Q ²) are measured in the range 0<Q ²<64 GeV², 1.7<W ²<250 GeV²,x<0.7 using ν and \(\bar v\) interactions on neon in BEBC. The data are used to evaluate possible higher twist contributions and to determine their impact on the evaluation of the QCD parameter Λ. In contrast to previous analyses reaching to such lowW ² values, it is found that a low \(\Lambda _{\overline {MS} } \) value in the neighbourhood of 100 MeV describes the data adequately and that the contribution of dynamical higher twist effects is small and negative.     

Inclusive measurement of diffractive deep-inelastic ep scattering

A measurement is made of the cross section for the process ep → eXY in deep-inelastic scattering with the H1 detector at HERA. The cross section is presented in terms of a differential structure function F ₂ ^D(3) (x _P, β,Q ²) of the proton over the kinematic range 4.5 < Q ² < 75 GeV². The dependence of F ₂ ^D(3) on x _P is found to vary with β, demonstrating that a factorisation of F ₂ ^D(3) with a single diffractive flux independent of β and Q ² is not tenable. An interpretation in which a leading diffractive exchange and a subleading reggeon contribute to F ₂ ^D(3) reproduces well the x _P dependence of F ₂ ^D(3) with values for the pomeron and subleading reggeon intercepts of α_P (0) = 1.203±0.020(stat.)±0.013(sys.) _-0.035 ^+0.030 (model) and α _R (0) = 0.50 ± 0.11(stat.) ± 0.11(sys.) _-0.10 ^+0.09 (model), respectively. A fit is performed of the data using a QCD motivated model, in which parton distributions are assigned to the leading and subleading exchanges. In this model, the majority of the momentum of the pomeron must be carried by gluons in order for the data to be well described.     

F 2 c at low x

We study the heavy-quark contributions to the proton structure function F ₂(x,Q ²) at next-to-leading order using compact formulas at small values of Bjorken??s x variable. The formulas provide a good agreement with the modern HERA data for F ₂ ^c (x,Q ²).     

Possible parametrization of parton distributions incorporating singular smallx behaviour implied by QCD and its phenomenological implications for HERA

The gluon and quark distributions of the nucleon are evaluated using the Altarelli-Parisi equations with the input distributions atQ ₀ ² =5 GeV² for seaquarks and gluons modified by the factor (ax ^?0.5+b). The new parametrization is constrained to satisfy the momentum sum rule and after backward evolution (fromQ ₀ ² =5 GeV² toQ ²=1 GeV²) it is also constrained to give approximately 1/x behaviour of the sea-quark and gluon distributions in the limited region of smallx (10^?3<x<10^?2 or so). The theoretical predictions relevant for HERA for structure functionsF ₂(x, Q ²) andF _L (x, Q ²) in the region of very smallx(10^?4<x<10^?2) and largeQ ² and for the cross-sectionσ(γ^* p→ΨX) are presented. Distributions of heavy quarks (c,b,t) are also discussed.     

The effect of screening on the x and Q2 behaviour of F2 slopes

A systematic study of ϖF₂(x, Q²)/ϖ ln Q² and ϖ ln F₂(x, Q²)/ϖ ln(1/x) is carried out in pQCD taking screening corrections into account. The result of calculations, which are different from the non-screened DGLAP prediction, are compared and shown to agree with the available experimental data as well as a pseudo data base generated from the ALLM'97 parameterization. This pseudo data base allows us to study in detail our predictions over a wider kinematic region than is available experimentally, and allows us to make suggestions for future experiments. Our results are compared with the GRV'94 parameterization (which is used as an input for our calculations) as well as the recently proposed MRST structure functions.     

Neutral current cross-section measurement at low Q 2 and high y with the ZEUS detector at HERA

The measurements of the reduced cross-sections for e ^?+? p deep inelastic scattering at high inelasticities y for three different centre-of-mass energies, 318, 251 and 225 GeV have been extended to lower momentum transferred squared, Q ². The analysis of satellite vertex events allows one to extend the cross-section measurement at high y down to Q ² = 4.5 GeV², substantially lower that the previously published cross-section measurement from which the longitudinal structure function, F _L, was extracted.     

The longitudinal structure function F L(x, Q 2) and the gluon distribution G(x, Q 2) at low x

We obtain a relation between the longitudinal structure function F _L(x, Q ²), F ₂(x, Q ²) and G(x, Q ²) at small x, using the formalism recently reported by one of the authors [2]. We also obtain a relation between F _L(x, Q ²), F ₂(x, Q ²) and its slope (dF ₂(x, Q ²))/(dlnQ ²). This provides us with the determination of the longitudinal structure function F _L(x, Q ²) from F ₂(x, Q ²) data and hence extract the gluon distribution G(x, Q ²).     

Elastic and transition form factors of light pseudoscalar mesons from QCD sum rules

We revisit F _π(Q ²) and F _Pγ(Q ²), P = π, η, η′, making use of the local-duality (LD) version of QCD sum rules. We give arguments that the LD sum rule provides reliable predictions for these form factors at Q ² ≥ 5–6 GeV², the accuracy of the method increasing with Q ² in this region. For the pion elastic form factor, the well-measured data at small Q ² give a hint that the LD limit may be reached already at relatively low values of momentum transfers, Q ² ≈ 4–8 GeV²; we therefore conclude that large deviations from LD in the region Q ² = 20–50 GeV² seem very unlikely. The data on the (η, η′) → γγ* form factors meet the expectations from the LD model. However, the BaBar results for the π ⁰ → γγ* form factor imply a violation of LD growing with Q ² even at Q ² ≈ 40 GeV², at odds with the η, η′ case and with the general properties expected for the LD sum rule.     

Scaling and non-scaling in a rest frame quark-parton model of the proton

Electron-proton deep inelastic scattering is treated as the incoherent scattering of electrons by bound Dirac partons in the proton rest frame. An approximate bound state wave function is used for the initial parton, while the final parton is considered free. A good fit is obtained to the structure function F₁(x,Q²) in the range x > 0.15, Q² > 2 GeV. The subsequent prediction for F₂(x,Q²) is not as good, indicating a small additional contribution by longitudinal photons for W < 2.5 GeV. The parton momentum distribution is found to contain transverse momentum of 400–600 MeV, increasing with x.     

A measurement of the photon structure function F 2γ at an average Q 2 of 12 GeV2/ c 4

The hadronic photon structure functionF ₂ ^γ has been measured in theQ ² range from 4 to 30 GeV²/c ⁴ and down tox values of order 0.001, using data taken with the DELPHI detector at LEP between 1991 and 1993. A comparison is made with severalF ₂ ^γ parameterizations with special emphasis on their lowx behaviour. A result on theQ ² evolution ofF ₂ ^γ is presented.     

How to measure the charm density in the proton

We study two experimental ways to measure the heavy-quark content of the proton: using the Callan-Gross ratio R(x, Q ²) = F _L /F _T and/or the azimuthal cos(2φ) asymmetry in DIS. Our approach is based on the following observations. First, the ratio R(x, Q ²) = F _L /F _T and azimuthal cos(2φ) asymmetry in heavy-quark leptoproduction are stable, both parametrically and perturbatively, within pQCD. Second, both these quantities are sensitive to resummation of the mass logarithms of the type α_sln(Q ²/m ²). We conclude that the heavy-quark densities in the nucleon can, in principle, be determined from high-Q ² data on the Callan-Gross ratio and/or the azimuthal asymmetry. In particular, the charm content of the proton can be measured in future studies at the proposed Large Hadron-Electron (LHeC) and Electron-Ion (EIC) Colliders.