Dependence of elastic hadron collisions on impact parameter

TL;DR

This paper investigates the impact parameter dependence of elastic hadron collisions, challenging the common view of their centrality and proposing a peripheral interpretation based on eikonal models.

Contribution

It demonstrates the plausibility of a peripheral interpretation of elastic collisions and analyzes the influence of mathematical assumptions on physical interpretations.

Findings

Elastic collisions may be peripheral rather than central.

Mathematical assumptions significantly influence collision interpretation.

Eikonal model supports a peripheral collision scenario.

Abstract

Elastic proton-proton collisions represent probably the greatest ensemble of available measured data, the analysis of which may provide large amount of new physical results concerning fundamental particles. It is, however, necessary to analyze first some conclusions concerning pp collisions and their interpretations differing fundamentally from our common macroscopic experience. It has been argued, e.g., that elastic hadron collisions have been more central than inelastic ones, even if any explanation of the existence of so different process, i.e., elastic and inelastic (with hundreds of secondary particles) collisions, under the same conditions has not been given until now. The given conclusion has been based on a greater number of simplifying mathematical assumptions (done already in earlier calculations), without their influence on physical interpretation being analyzed and entitled; the corresponding influence has started to be studied in the approach based on eikonal model. The possibility of peripheral interpretation of elastic collisions will be demonstrated and corresponding results summarized. The arguments will be given why no preference may be given to the mentioned centrality against the standard peripheral behaviour. The corresponding discussion of contemporary description of elastic hadronic collision in dependence on impact parameter will be summarized and the justification of some important assumptions will be considered.