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.