EPJ

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EPJ C - Particles and Fields
Particles and Fields


Eur. Phys. J. C 24, 459-468 (2002)
DOI: 10.1007/s10052-002-0964-4

Photon-exchange processes at hadron colliders as a probe of the dynamics of diffraction

V.A. Khoze1, 2, A.D. Martin1 and M.G. Ryskin1, 2

1  Department of Physics and Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE
2  Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, 188300 St. Petersburg, Russia

(Received: 1 February 2002 / Revised version: 4 April 2002 / Published online: 22 May 2002 )

Abstract
The rich structure of photon-exchange processes at hadron colliders is studied. We discuss central vector meson production $(pp \rightarrow p + J/\psi + p)$, W production $(pp \rightarrow p + W + X)$ and $\mu^+ \mu^-$ production. Each process has distinct, and large, soft pp rescattering effects, which can be directly observed by detecting the outgoing protons. This allows a probe of the optical density of the proton, which plays a crucial role in the evaluation of the rapidity gap survival probabilities in diffractive-like processes at hadron colliders. We note that an alternative mechanism for $J/\psi$ production is odderon, instead of photon, exchange; and that the ratio of odderon to photon contributions is enhanced (suppressed) for $\phi (\Upsilon)$ vector meson production.



© Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002

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