A simple model for nuclear structure functions at small x in the dipole picture

A simple model for nuclear structure functions in the region of small x and small and moderate Q² is presented. It is a parameter-free extension, in the Glauber-Gribov approach to nuclear collisions, of a saturation model for the nucleon. A reasonable agreement with experimental data on the ratios of nuclear structure functions is obtained. Nuclear effects in the longitudinal-to-transverse cross section ratios are found to be small. Predictions of the model for values of x smaller than those available to present experiments are given. The unintegrated gluon distribution and the behaviour of the saturation scale which result from this model are shown and discussed. Received: 5 June 2002 / Revised version: 27 June 2002 / Published online: 16 October 2002