The Rise of the Proton Structure Function F_2 Towards Low x

TL;DR

This paper investigates the behavior of the proton structure function F_2 at low x, revealing its derivative characteristics and their dependence on Q^2, based on combined experimental data from H1, NMC, and ZEUS.

Contribution

It provides new measurements of the derivative of log(F_2) with respect to log(x) at fixed Q^2, highlighting its independence from x and linear increase with log(Q^2) in specified ranges.

Findings

Derivatives are x-independent for Q^2 >= 0.85 GeV^2.

Derivatives increase linearly with log(Q^2) for 0.0001 <= x <= 0.01.

Results are based on combined data from multiple experiments.

Abstract

Results on the derivative of log(F_2) with respect to log(x) at fixed Q^2 are presented. The measured derivatives are within errors independent of x for Q^2 >= 0.85 GeV^2 and increase linearly with log(Q^2) for 0.0001 <= x <= 0.01 and Q^2 >= 3 GeV^2. The results are based on preliminary and published H1 data which at Q^2 below 2 GeV^2 are combined with NMC and ZEUS data.