How precisely will the total cross section be measured at the LHC?

TL;DR

This paper discusses the potential challenges in accurately measuring the total cross section at the LHC due to new scattering regimes and proposes strategies to ensure measurement reliability.

Contribution

It analyzes the impact of the black-disk limit on cross section measurements and suggests new testing strategies for measurement accuracy at the LHC.

Findings

Black-disk limit may affect measurement accuracy

Proposes new strategies to test measurement reliability

Highlights potential biases in elastic scattering analysis

Abstract

It is very likely that hadronic scattering will enter a new regime at the LHC, as the black-disk limit is reached. This will lead to a severe change in the t dependence of the real part and of the slope of the elastic scattering amplitude, and in turn this may bias the measurement of the total cross section. We examine this issue, and suggest new strategies to test the reliability of the total cross section measurements.