Evidence for maximality of strong interactions from LHC forward data

TL;DR

This paper tests the Froissaron-Maximal Odderon model against LHC data, relaxing certain constraints, and finds that the data still favor a maximal strong interaction, with the Odderon intercept near -1.

Contribution

It extends the FMO approach by relaxing ln^2s constraints and demonstrates the model's compatibility with LHC data, supporting maximal strong interactions.

Findings

Best fits favor maximal strong interaction.

Odderon intercept near -1 consistent with QCD predictions.

FMO approach remains valid under relaxed constraints.

Abstract

It is important to check if the Froissaron-Maximal Odderon (FMO) approach is the only model in agreement with the LHC data. We therefore generalized the FMO approach by relaxing the $\ln^2s$ constraints both in the even-and odd-under-crossing amplitude. We show that, in spite of a considerable freedom of a large class of amplitudes, the best fits bring us back to the maximality of strong interaction. Moreover, if we leave Odderon Regge pole intercept $\alpha_O(0)$ completely free we find a very good solution for $\alpha_O(0)$ near -1 in agreement with the result of oddballs spectroscopy in QCD based on AdS/CFT correspondence.