Forward Physics at the LHC, Detecting Elastic pp Scattering by Radiative Photons

TL;DR

This paper proposes using photon bremsstrahlung at the LHC to identify elastic proton-proton interactions, enabling measurements of cross sections, luminosity, and detector alignment with a novel approach.

Contribution

It introduces a method utilizing bremsstrahlung photons to detect elastic pp scattering and measure related parameters, enhancing existing experimental techniques.

Findings

Photon bremsstrahlung can identify elastic pp interactions.

The method allows measurement of total cross section and luminosity.

It aids in aligning Zero Degree Calorimeters (ZDCs).

Abstract

Photon bremsstrahlung is proposed to be used to identify elastic proton-proton interactions at the LHC. In addition to a measurement of the elastic pp cross section (assuming that the elastic slope is known), the bremsstrahlung photons will allow the evaluation of the total pp cross section, luminosity and to align the Zero Degree Calorimeters (ZDCs).