Low-x QCD physics from RHIC and HERA to the LHC

TL;DR

This paper reviews the physics of gluon saturation and non-linear QCD evolution at small x, highlighting recent experimental results from HERA and RHIC, and discusses the potential of low-x studies at the LHC across various collision types.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive summary of low-x QCD physics, emphasizing recent experimental findings and outlining future measurement opportunities at the LHC.

Findings

Evidence of gluon saturation effects at small x

Recent experimental results from HERA and RHIC support non-linear QCD models

Benchmark measurements proposed for future LHC studies

Abstract

We present a summary of the physics of gluon saturation and non-linear QCD evolution at small values of parton momentum fraction $x$ in the proton and nucleus in the context of recent experimental results at HERA and RHIC. The rich physics potential of low-x studies at the LHC, especially in the forward region, is discussed and some benchmark measurements in pp, pA and AA collisions are introduced.