Description of the Proton Structure Function $F_2^p(x,Q^2)$ in the Framework of Extended Regge - Eikonal Approach

TL;DR

This paper models the proton structure function $F_2^p(x,Q^2)$ using an extended Regge-eikonal approach, successfully describing HERA data without requiring additional hard trajectories, and analyzing its $x$ and $Q^2$ dependencies.

Contribution

It introduces an off-shell extension of the Regge-eikonal approach that accounts for off-shell unitarity and describes $F_2^p(x,Q^2)$ without extra hard trajectories.

Findings

Good description of $F_2^p(x,Q^2)$ for $x<10^{-2}$

No need for additional high-intercept trajectories

Analysis of $x-, Q^2-$ slopes and effective intercepts

Abstract

The proton structure function $F_2^p(x,Q^2)$ is described in the framework of the off-shell extention of the Regge-eikonal approach which automatically takes into account off-shell unitarity. We achieved a good quality of description for $x<10^{-2}$ and we argue that the data on $F_2^p(x,Q^2)$ measured at HERA can be fairly described with classical universal Regge trajectories. No extra, ``hard'' trajectories of high intercept are needed for that. The $x-, Q^2-$ slopes and the effective intercept are discussed as functions of $Q^2$ and $x$.