Light hadron production in inclusive pp-scattering at LHC

TL;DR

The paper investigates inclusive light-hadron production in pp scattering at LHC within Regge theory using a double-Reggeon exchange framework that includes a supercritical Pomeron. By fitting low-energy data (√s ≤ 900 GeV) to determine the A_ij couplings and vertex slopes, the authors predict rapidity and pseudorapidity distributions of charged particles and K_S mesons at LHC energies, providing explicit formulas and parameter values. The approach yields good agreement with existing LHC measurements at 0.9–7 TeV and offers predictions for 7–14 TeV, illustrating that central-region production can be described without invoking new dynamics beyond Regge phenomenology. This work reinforces the applicability of Regge-based models to high-energy hadronic production and guides expectations for future measurements of inclusive light-hadron spectra.

Abstract

The inclusive production of light mesons in pp-scattering is considered in the framework of reggeon phenomenology with supercritical Pomeron. Available low-energy data can be explained with three reggeon particles taken into account. With the obtained results rapidity and pseudorapidity distributions for light-meson production at LHC energies are predicted.

Figures (3)

• Figure 1: Fits of available experimental data by double-Reggeon exchange model: (a) --- rapidity distributions of $pp\to c^{-}+X$ reaction cross section. Curves and data sets in the figure correspond to energies $\sqrt{s}=4.9$ GeV, 11.5 GeV, 13.9 GeV, 21.7 GeV and 53 GeV from bottom to top; (b) --- energy dependence of differential cross section of the reaction $pp\to c^{-}+X$ at $y=0$; (c) --- rapidity distributions of $pp\to K_{S}+X$ reaction cross section at $\sqrt{s}=13.76$ GeV, 63 GeV and 546 GeV; (d) --- energy dependence of the differential cross section of the reaction $pp\to K_{S}+X$ at $y=0$
• Figure 2: (a) --- pseudorapidity distributions of $pp\to c^{\pm}+X$ reaction cross section. Curves in the figure correspond to energies $\sqrt{s}=0.9$, 2.36, 7 and 14 TeV from bottom to top; (b) --- energy dependence of differential cross section of the reaction $pp\to c^{\pm}+X$ at $\eta=0$. Recent values obtained by ALICE and CMS collaborations are marked with stars.
• Figure 3: (a) --- rapidity distributions of $pp\to K_{S}+X$ reaction cross section. Curves in the figure correspond to energies $\sqrt{s}=0.9$, 2.36, 7 and 14 TeV from bottom to top; (b) --- energy dependence of differential cross section of the reaction $pp\to K_{S}+X$ at $\eta=0$.