Elastic scattering and the proton form factor

F. Carvalho, A. A. Natale, C. M. Zanetti

Published 2005-10-13, updated 2005-10-21Version 2

We compute the differential and the total cross sections for $pp$ scattering using the QCD pomeron model proposed by Landshoff and Nachtmann. This model is quite dependent on the experimental electromagnetic form factor, and it is not totally clear why this form factor gives good results even at moderate transferred momentum. We exchange the eletromagnetic form factor by the asymptotic QCD proton form factor determined by Brodsky and Lepage (BL) plus a prescription for its low energy behavior dictated by the existence of a dynamically generated gluon mass. We fit the data with this QCD inspired form factor and a value for the dynamical gluon mass consistent with the ones determined in the literature. Our results also provide a new determination of the proton wave function at the origin, which appears in the BL form factor.