Statistical Approach to Parton Models: Application to 90° Cross Sections

Abstract

We present a parton statistical model in which the pairing interaction has been explicitly taken into account. Using a generalized equidistant model for the density of states we calculate the 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} differential elastic two-body cross section in terms of an incoherent sum of direct-channel resonances. Encouraging agreement with the data for ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}p$ and $p\overline{p}$ elastic reaction is obtained. Two main results are deduced from our analysis: (a) an approximate exponential decrease of ${\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{d\ensuremath{\Omega}}|}_{90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}}$; (b) a break structure in ${\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{d\ensuremath{\Omega}}|}_{90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}}$. The position of the break is fixed at the energy where the temperature of the system reaches its critical value, i.e., a phase transition occurs.