A parton model for diffractive processes in deep inelastic scattering

Abstract

We demonstrate that the global properties of the “rapidity gap” events, observed at HERA, can be understood based on electron-gluon scattering as the underlying partonic process. Using the measured inclusive structure function F 2 to determine the parameters of the parton model, the diffractive structure function F 2 d is predicted. The ratio of diffractive and inclusive cross sections, R d = Σ d Σ incl ⋍ 1 9 , is determined by the probability of the produced quark-antiquark pair to evolve into a colour singlet state. This colour singlet cluster may fragment into hadrons independently of the proton remnant, yielding the observed gap in rapidity.