First measurement of elastic, inelastic and total cross-section at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV by TOTEM and overview of cross-section data at LHC energies

TL;DR

The paper reports the first measurement of proton-proton cross sections at 13 TeV by TOTEM, providing elastic, inelastic, and total cross sections using a luminosity-independent method, confirming extrapolations from lower energies.

Contribution

This work presents the first measurement of total, elastic, and inelastic proton-proton cross sections at 13 TeV using a novel luminosity-independent approach by TOTEM.

Findings

Total cross section at 13 TeV: 110.6 mb

Elastic cross section at 13 TeV: 31.0 mb

Inelastic cross section at 13 TeV: 79.5 mb

Abstract

The TOTEM collaboration has measured the proton-proton total cross section at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with a luminosity-independent method. Using dedicated $\beta^{*}=90$ m beam optics, the Roman Pots were inserted very close to the beam. The inelastic scattering rate has been measured by the T1 and T2 telescopes during the same LHC fill. After applying the optical theorem the total proton-proton cross section is $\sigma_{\rm tot}=(110.6 \pm 3.4$) mb, well in agreement with the extrapolation from lower energies. This method also allows one to derive the luminosity-independent elastic and inelastic cross sections: $\sigma_{\rm el} = (31.0 \pm 1.7)$ mb and $\sigma_{\rm inel} = (79.5 \pm 1.8)$ mb.