Shrinking of the forward diffraction peak and multiparticle production

Abstract

It is shown, that independently of any specific model for multiparticle production, the shringking with energy of the forward diffraction peak can be derived assuming local compensation (in rapidity space) of the transverse components of momenta of secondaries. A formalism suitable for this demonstration is developed and a lower bound for the “pomeron slope” is derived. This bound, which involves observable parameters only, is valid under fairly general conditions. Finally, simple experiments which can test the validity of the ideas presented in this paper are suggested.