Dip-Bump Structure in Proton's Single Diffractive Dissociation at the Large Hadron Collider

TL;DR

This paper extends the dipole Pomeron model to predict a dip-bump structure in the $t$ distribution of proton single diffractive dissociation at the LHC, highlighting a new feature in the scattering process.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel extension of the dipole Pomeron model to describe structures in the $t$ distribution of SD, including the dip-bump feature at LHC energies.

Findings

Prediction of a dip-bump structure around $t=-4$ GeV$^2$ at LHC energies.

Identification of a $t$ and missing mass dependence in the SD process.

Inclusion of Pomeron and Odderon trajectories as essential components.

Abstract

By extending the dipole Pomeron (DP) model, successful in describing elastic nucleon-nucleon scattering, to proton single diffractive dissociation (SD), we predict a dip-bump structure in the squared four-momentum transfer ($t$) distribution of proton's SD. Structures in the $t$ distribution of single diffractive dissociation are predicted around $t=-4$ GeV$^2$ at LHC energies in the range of 3 GeV$^2$ $\lesssim|t|\lesssim$ 7 GeV$^2$. Apart from the dependence on $s$ (total energy squared) and $t$ (squared momentum transfer), we predict also a dependence on missing masses. We include the minimum set of Regge trajectories, namely the Pomeron and the Odderon, indispensable at the LHC. Further generalization, e.g., by the inclusion of non-leading Regge trajectories, is straightforward. The present model contains two types of Regge trajectories: those connected with $t$-channel exchanges (the Pomeron, the Odderon, and non-leading (secondary) reggeons) appearing at small and moderate $-t$, where they are real and nearly linear, as well as direct-channel trajectories $\alpha(M^2)$ related to missing masses. In this paper, we concentrate on structures in $t$ neglecting (for the time being) resonances in $M^2$.