Frigyes Nemes

TOTEM has measured the differential cross-section for elastic proton-proton scattering at the LHC energy of analysing data from a short run with dedicated large-β* optics. A single exponential fit with a slope B=(20.1±0.2stat±0.3syst) GeV−2 describes the range of the four-momentum transfer squared |t| from 0.02 to 0.33 GeV2. After the extrapolation to |t|=0, a total elastic scattering cross-section of (24.8±0.2stat±1.2syst) mb was obtained. Applying the optical theorem and using the luminosity measurement from CMS, a total proton-proton cross-section of (98.3±0.2stat±2.8syst) mb was deduced which is in good agreement with the expectation from the overall fit of previously measured data over a large range of center-of-mass energies. From the total and elastic pp cross-section measurements, an inelastic pp cross-section of was inferred.

At the LHC energy of , under various beam and background conditions, luminosities, and Roman Pot positions, TOTEM has measured the differential cross-section for proton-proton elastic scattering as a function of the four-momentum transfer squared t. The results of the different analyses are in excellent agreement demonstrating no sizeable dependence on the beam conditions. Due to the very close approach of the Roman Pot detectors to the beam center (≈5σbeam) in a dedicated run with β* = 90 m, |t|-values down to 5·10−3 GeV2 were reached. The exponential slope of the differential elastic cross-section in this newly explored |t|-region remained unchanged and thus an exponential fit with only one constant B = (19.9 ± 0.3) GeV−2 over the large |t|-range from 0.005 to 0.2 GeV2 describes the differential distribution well. The high precision of the measurement and the large fit range lead to an error on the slope parameter B which is remarkably small compared to previous experiments. It allows a precise extrapolation over the non-visible cross-section (only 9%) to t = 0. With the luminosity from CMS, the elastic cross-section was determined to be (25.4 ± 1.1) mb, and using in addition the optical theorem, the total pp cross-section was derived to be (98.6 ± 2.2) mb. For model comparisons the t-distributions are tabulated including the large |t|-range of the previous measurement (TOTEM Collaboration (Antchev G. et al), EPL, 95 (2011) 41001).

The TOTEM collaboration has measured the proton-proton total cross section at √s=8 TeV using a luminosity-independent method. In LHC fills with dedicated beam optics, the Roman pots have been inserted very close to the beam allowing the detection of ~90% of the nuclear elastic scattering events. Simultaneously the inelastic scattering rate has been measured by the T1 and T2 telescopes. By applying the optical theorem, the total proton-proton cross section of (101.7±2.9) mb has been determined, well in agreement with the extrapolation from lower energies. This method also allows one to derive the luminosity-independent elastic and inelastic cross sections: σ(el)=(27.1±1.4) mb; σ(inel)=(74.7±1.7) mb.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has performed the first luminosity-independent determination of the total proton-proton cross-section at . This technique is based on the optical theorem and requires simultaneous measurements of the inelastic rate – accomplished with the forward charged-particle telescopes T1 and T2 in the range 3.1 < |η| < 6.5 – and of the elastic rate by detecting the outcoming protons with Roman Pot detectors. The data presented here were collected in a dedicated run in 2011 with special beam optics (β* = 90 m) and Roman Pots approaching the beam close enough to register elastic events with squared four-momentum transfers |t| as low as 5·10−3 GeV2. The luminosity-independent results for the elastic, inelastic and total cross-sections are σel = (25.1 ± 1.1) mb, σinel = (72.9 ± 1.5) mb and σtot = (98.0 ± 2.5) mb, respectively. At the same time this method yields the integrated luminosity, in agreement with measurements by CMS. TOTEM has also determined the total cross-section in two complementary ways, both using the CMS luminosity measurement as an input. The first method sums the elastic and inelastic cross-sections and thus does not depend on the ρ parameter. The second applies the optical theorem to the elastic-scattering measurements only and therefore is free of the T1 and T2 measurement uncertainties. The methods, having very different systematic dependences, give results in excellent agreement. Moreover, the ρ-independent measurement makes a first estimate for the ρ parameter at possible: |ρ| = 0.145 ± 0.091.

The TOTEM experiment has made a precise measurement of the elastic proton–proton differential cross-section at the centre-of-mass energy s=8TeV based on a high-statistics data sample obtained with the β⁎=90m optics. Both the statistical and systematic uncertainties remain below 1%, except for the t-independent contribution from the overall normalisation. This unprecedented precision allows to exclude a purely exponential differential cross-section in the range of four-momentum transfer squared 0.027<|t|<0.2GeV2 with a significance greater than 7σ. Two extended parametrisations, with quadratic and cubic polynomials in the exponent, are shown to be well compatible with the data. Using them for the differential cross-section extrapolation to t=0, and further applying the optical theorem, yields total cross-section estimates of (101.5±2.1)mb and (101.9±2.1)mb, respectively, in agreement with previous TOTEM measurements.

Proton-proton elastic scattering has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at in dedicated runs with the Roman Pot detectors placed as close as seven times the transverse beam size (σbeam) from the outgoing beams. After careful study of the accelerator optics and the detector alignment, |t|, the square of four-momentum transferred in the elastic scattering process, has been determined with an uncertainty of . In this letter, first results of the differential cross-section are presented covering a |t|-range from 0.36 to 2.5 GeV2. The differential cross-section in the range 0.36 < |t| < 0.47 GeV2 is described by an exponential with a slope parameter B = (23.6 ± 0.5stat ± 0.4syst) GeV−2, followed by a significant diffractive minimum at |t| = (0.53 ± 0.01stat ± 0.01syst) GeV2. For |t|-values larger than ∼1.5 GeV2, the cross-section exhibits a power law behaviour with an exponent of −7.8 ± 0.3stat ± 0.1syst. When compared to predictions based on the different available models, the data show a strong discriminative power despite the small t-range covered.

The TOTEM experiment at the CERN LHC has measured elastic proton–proton scattering at the centre-of-mass energy $$\sqrt{s}=8\,$$ TeV and four-momentum transfers squared, |t|, from $$6\times 10^{-4}$$ to 0.2 GeV $$^{2}$$ . Near the lower end of the t-interval the differential cross-section is sensitive to the interference between the hadronic and the electromagnetic scattering amplitudes. This article presents the elastic cross-section measurement and the constraints it imposes on the functional forms of the modulus and phase of the hadronic elastic amplitude. The data exclude the traditional Simplified West and Yennie interference formula that requires a constant phase and a purely exponential modulus of the hadronic amplitude. For parametrisations of the hadronic modulus with second- or third-order polynomials in the exponent, the data are compatible with hadronic phase functions giving either central or peripheral behaviour in the impact parameter picture of elastic scattering. In both cases, the $$\rho $$ -parameter is found to be $$0.12 \pm 0.03$$ . The results for the total hadronic cross-section are $$\sigma _\mathrm{tot} = (102.9 \pm 2.3)$$ mb and $$(103.0 \pm 2.3)$$ mb for central and peripheral phase formulations, respectively. Both are consistent with previous TOTEM measurements.

The TOTEM collaboration has measured the proton–proton total cross section at $$\sqrt{s}=13~\hbox {TeV}$$ with a luminosity-independent method. Using dedicated $$\beta ^{*}=90~\hbox {m}$$ beam optics, the Roman Pots were inserted very close to the beam. The inelastic scattering rate has been measured by the T1 and T2 telescopes during the same LHC fill. After applying the optical theorem the total proton–proton cross section is $$\sigma _\mathrm{tot}=(110.6~\pm ~3.4$$ ) mb, well in agreement with the extrapolation from lower energies. This method also allows one to derive the luminosity-independent elastic and inelastic cross sections: $$\sigma _\mathrm{el}=(31.0~\pm ~1.7)~\hbox {mb}$$ and $$\sigma _\mathrm{inel}=(79.5~\pm ~1.8)~\hbox {mb}$$ .

Abstract The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has performed the first measurement at $$\sqrt{s} = 13\,\mathrm{TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msqrt><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>13</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> of the $$\rho $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi></mml:math> parameter, the real to imaginary ratio of the nuclear elastic scattering amplitude at $$t=0$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>t</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> , obtaining the following results: $$\rho = 0.09 \pm 0.01$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.09</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.01</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> and $$\rho = 0.10 \pm 0.01$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.10</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.01</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> , depending on different physics assumptions and mathematical modelling. The unprecedented precision of the $$\rho $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi></mml:math> measurement, combined with the TOTEM total cross-section measurements in an energy range larger than $$10\,\mathrm{TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>10</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> (from 2.76 to $$13\,\mathrm{TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>13</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> ), has implied the exclusion of all the models classified and published by COMPETE. The $$\rho $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi></mml:math> results obtained by TOTEM are compatible with the predictions, from other theoretical models both in the Regge-like framework and in the QCD framework, of a crossing-odd colourless 3-gluon compound state exchange in the t -channel of the proton–proton elastic scattering. On the contrary, if shown that the crossing-odd 3-gluon compound state t -channel exchange is not of importance for the description of elastic scattering, the $$\rho $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>ρ</mml:mi></mml:math> value determined by TOTEM would represent a first evidence of a slowing down of the total cross-section growth at higher energies. The very low-| t | reach allowed also to determine the absolute normalisation using the Coulomb amplitude for the first time at the LHC and obtain a new total proton–proton cross-section measurement $$\sigma _{\mathrm{tot}} = (110.3 \pm 3.5)\,\mathrm{mb}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mi>tot</mml:mi></mml:msub><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mn>110.3</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>3.5</mml:mn><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:mspace /><mml:mi>mb</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> , completely independent from the previous TOTEM determination. Combining the two TOTEM results yields $$\sigma _{\mathrm{tot}} = (110.5 \pm 2.4)\,\mathrm{mb}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mi>tot</mml:mi></mml:msub><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mn>110.5</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>2.4</mml:mn><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:mspace /><mml:mi>mb</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> .

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has measured the inelastic proton-proton cross-section at in a β* = 90 m run with low inelastic pile-up. The measurement was based on events with at least one charged particle in the T2 telescope acceptance of 5.3 < |η| < 6.5 in pseudorapidity. Combined with data from the T1 telescope, covering 3.1 < |η| < 4.7, the cross-section for inelastic events with at least one |η| ⩽ 6.5 final-state particle was determined to be (70.5 ± 2.9) mb. This cross-section includes all central diffractive events of which maximally 0.25 mb is estimated to escape the detection of the telescopes. Based on models for low mass diffraction, the total inelastic cross-section was deduced to be (73.7 ± 3.4) mb. An upper limit of 6.31 mb at 95% confidence level on the cross-section for events with diffractive masses below 3.4 GeV was obtained from the difference between the overall inelastic cross-section obtained by TOTEM using elastic scattering and the cross-section for inelastic events with at least one |η| ⩽ 6.5 final-state particle.

Abstract The TOTEM collaboration has measured the elastic proton-proton differential cross section $$\mathrm{d}\sigma /\mathrm{d}t$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mo>/</mml:mo><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>t</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> at $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msqrt><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>13</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> TeV LHC energy using dedicated $$\beta ^{*}=90$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msup><mml:mi>β</mml:mi><mml:mrow><mml:mrow /><mml:mo>∗</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:msup><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>90</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> m beam optics. The Roman Pot detectors were inserted to 10 $$\sigma $$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi></mml:math> distance from the LHC beam, which allowed the measurement of the range [0.04 GeV $$^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow /><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math> ; 4 GeV $$^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow /><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math> $$]$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mo>]</mml:mo></mml:math> in four-momentum transfer squared | t |. The efficient data acquisition allowed to collect about 10 $$^{9}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow /><mml:mn>9</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math> elastic events to precisely measure the differential cross-section including the diffractive minimum (dip), the subsequent maximum (bump) and the large-| t | tail. The average nuclear slope has been found to be $$B=(20.40 \pm 0.002^{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 0.01^{\mathrm{syst}})~$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>B</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mn>20.40</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mn>002</mml:mn><mml:mi>stat</mml:mi></mml:msup><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mn>01</mml:mn><mml:mi>syst</mml:mi></mml:msup><mml:mo>)</mml:mo><mml:mspace /></mml:mrow></mml:math> GeV $$^{-2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow /><mml:mrow><mml:mo>-</mml:mo><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:msup></mml:math> in the | t |-range 0.04–0.2 GeV $$^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow /><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math> . The dip position is $$|t_{\mathrm{dip}}|=(0.47 \pm 0.004^{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 0.01^{\mathrm{syst}})~$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mo>|</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>t</mml:mi><mml:mi>dip</mml:mi></mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mo>|</mml:mo><mml:mo>=</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.47</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mn>004</mml:mn><mml:mi>stat</mml:mi></mml:msup><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mn>01</mml:mn><mml:mi>syst</mml:mi></mml:msup><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:mspace /></mml:mrow></mml:math> GeV $$^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow /><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:math> . The differential cross section ratio at the bump vs. at the dip $$R=1.77\pm 0.01^{\mathrm{stat}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>R</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>1.77</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0</mml:mn><mml:mo>.</mml:mo><mml:msup><mml:mn>01</mml:mn><mml:mi>stat</mml:mi></mml:msup></mml:mrow></mml:math> has been measured with high precision. The series of TOTEM elastic pp measurements show that the dip is a permanent feature of the pp differential cross-section at the TeV scale.

Abstract The proton–proton elastic differential cross section $${\mathrm{d}}\sigma /{\mathrm{d}}t$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mo>/</mml:mo><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>t</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at $$\sqrt{s}=2.76\hbox { TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msqrt><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>2.76</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:mtext>TeV</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math> energy with $$\beta ^{*}=11\hbox { m}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msup><mml:mi>β</mml:mi><mml:mrow><mml:mrow /><mml:mo>∗</mml:mo></mml:mrow></mml:msup><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>11</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:mtext>m</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math> beam optics. The Roman Pots were inserted to 13 times the transverse beam size from the beam, which allowed to measure the differential cross-section of elastic scattering in a range of the squared four-momentum transfer (| t |) from 0.36 to $$0.74\hbox { GeV}^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>0.74</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:msup><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:mrow></mml:math> . The differential cross-section can be described with an exponential in the | t |-range between 0.36 and $$0.54\hbox { GeV}^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>0.54</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:msup><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:mrow></mml:math> , followed by a diffractive minimum (dip) at $$|t_{\mathrm{dip}}|=(0.61\pm 0.03)\hbox { GeV}^{2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mrow><mml:mo>|</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>t</mml:mi><mml:mi>dip</mml:mi></mml:msub><mml:mrow><mml:mo>|</mml:mo><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mrow><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.61</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.03</mml:mn><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:mrow><mml:mspace /></mml:mrow><mml:msup><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msup></mml:mrow></mml:math> and a subsequent maximum (bump). The ratio of the $${\mathrm{d}}\sigma /{\mathrm{d}}t$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>σ</mml:mi><mml:mo>/</mml:mo><mml:mi>d</mml:mi><mml:mi>t</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> at the bump and at the dip is $$1.7\pm 0.2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>1.7</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> . When compared to the proton–antiproton measurement of the D0 experiment at $$\sqrt{s} = 1.96\hbox { TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msqrt><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>1.96</mml:mn><mml:mspace /><mml:mtext>TeV</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math> , a significant difference can be observed. Under the condition that the effects due to the energy difference between TOTEM and D0 can be neglected, the result provides evidence for the exchange of a colourless C-odd three-gluon compound state in the t -channel of the proton–proton and proton–antiproton elastic scattering.

The first double diffractive cross-section measurement in the very forward region has been carried out by the TOTEM experiment at the LHC with center-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=7 TeV. By utilizing the very forward TOTEM tracking detectors T1 and T2, which extend up to |eta|=6.5, a clean sample of double diffractive pp events was extracted. From these events, we measured the cross-section sigma_DD =(116 +- 25) mub for events where both diffractive systems have 4.7 <|eta|_min < 6.5 .

The TOTEM experiment has measured the charged-particle pseudorapidity density dNch/dη in pp collisions at for 5.3<|η|<6.4 in events with at least one charged particle with transverse momentum above 40 MeV/c in this pseudorapidity range. This extends the analogous measurement performed by the other LHC experiments to the previously unexplored forward η region. The measurement refers to more than 99% of non-diffractive processes and to single and double diffractive processes with diffractive masses above ∼3.4 GeV/c2, corresponding to about 95% of the total inelastic cross-section. The dNch/dη has been found to decrease with |η|, from 3.84 ± 0.01(stat) ± 0.37(syst) at |η|=5.375 to 2.38±0.01(stat)±0.21(syst) at |η|=6.375. Several MC generators have been compared to data; none of them has been found to fully describe the measurement.

Proton-proton elastic scattering has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at √s = 7 TeV in special runs with the Roman Pot detectors placed as close to the outgoing beam as seven times the transverse beam size. The differential cross-section measurements are reported in the |t|-range of 0.36 to 2.5 GeV2. Extending the range of data to low t values from 0.02 to 0.33 GeV2, and utilizing the luminosity measurements of CMS, the total proton-proton cross section at √s = 7 TeV is measured to be (98.3 ±0.2stat ±2.8syst) mb.

The TOTEM Experiment is designed to measure the total proton-proton cross-section with the luminosity-independent method and to study elastic and diffractive pp scattering at the LHC. To achieve optimum forward coverage for charged particles emitted by the pp collisions in the interaction point IP5, two tracking telescopes, T1 and T2, are installed on each side of the IP in the pseudorapidity region 3.1 < = |eta | < = 6.5, and special movable beam-pipe insertions - called Roman Pots (RP) - are placed at distances of +- 147 m and +- 220 m from IP5. This article describes in detail the working of the TOTEM detector to produce physics results in the first three years of operation and data taking at the LHC.

This paper describes the design and the performance of the timing detector developed by the TOTEM Collaboration for the Roman Pots (RPs) to measure the Time-Of-Flight (TOF) of the protons produced in central diffractive interactions at the LHC . The measurement of the TOF of the protons allows the determination of the longitudinal position of the proton interaction vertex and its association with one of the vertices reconstructed by the CMS detectors. The TOF detector is based on single crystal Chemical Vapor Deposition (scCVD) diamond plates and is designed to measure the protons TOF with about 50 ps time precision. This upgrade to the TOTEM apparatus will be used in the LHC run 2 and will tag the central diffractive events up to an interaction pileup of about 1. A dedicated fast and low noise electronics for the signal amplification has been developed. The digitization of the diamond signal is performed by sampling the waveform. After introducing the physics studies that will most profit from the addition of these new detectors, we discuss in detail the optimization and the performance of the first TOF detector installed in the LHC in November 2015.

The Bialas–Bzdak model of elastic proton–proton scattering assumes a purely imaginary forward scattering amplitude, which consequently vanishes at the diffractive minima. We extended the model to arbitrarily large real parts in a way that constraints from unitarity are satisfied. The resulting model is able to describe elastic pp scattering not only at the lower ISR energies but also at [Formula: see text] in a statistically acceptable manner, both in the diffractive cone and in the region of the first diffractive minimum. The total cross-section as well as the differential cross-section of elastic proton–proton scattering is predicted for the future LHC energies of [Formula: see text], 14, 15 TeV and also to 28 TeV. A nontrivial, significantly nonexponential feature of the differential cross-section of elastic proton–proton scattering is analyzed and the excitation function of the nonexponential behavior is predicted. The excitation function of the shadow profiles is discussed and related to saturation at small impact parameters.

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles dN $$_{ ch }$$ /d $$\eta $$ is measured by the TOTEM experiment in proton–proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s} = 8$$ TeV within the range $$3.9<\eta <4.7$$ and $$-6.95<\eta <-6.9$$ . Data were collected in a low intensity LHC run with collisions occurring at a distance of 11.25 m from the nominal interaction point. The data sample is expected to include 96–97 % of the inelastic proton–proton interactions. The measurement reported here considers charged particles with $$p_T>0$$ MeV/c, produced in inelastic interactions with at least one charged particle in $$-7<\eta <-6$$ or $$3.7<\eta <4.8$$ . The dN $$_{ ch }$$ /d $$\eta $$ has been found to decrease with $$|\eta |$$ , from 5.11 $$\pm $$ 0.73 at $$\eta =3.95$$ to 1.81 $$\pm $$ 0.56 at $$\eta =-$$ 6.925. Several Monte Carlo generators are compared to the data and are found to be within the systematic uncertainty of the measurement.

The classical sine-Gordon model is a two-dimensional integrable field theory, with particle like solutions the so-called solitons. Using its integrability one can define its quantum version without the process of canonical quantization. This bootstrap method uses the fundamental propterties of the model and its quantum features in order to restrict the structure of the scattering matrix as far as possible. The classical model can be extended with integrable discontinuities, purely transmitting jump-defects. Then the quantum version of the extended model can be determined via the bootstrap method again. But the outcoming quantum theory contains the so-called CDD uncertainity. The aim of this article is to carry throw the semiclassical approximation in both the classical and the quantum side of the defect sine-Gordon theory. The CDD ambiguity can be restricted by comparing the two results. The relation between the classical and quantum parameters as well as the resoncances appeared in the spectrum are other objectives.

Precise knowledge of the beam optics at the LHC is crucial to fulfil the physics goals of the TOTEM experiment, where the kinematics of the scattered protons is reconstructed with the near-beam telescopes -- so-called Roman Pots (RP). Before being detected, the protons' trajectories are influenced by the magnetic fields of the accelerator lattice. Thus precise understanding of the proton transport is of key importance for the experiment. A novel method of optics evaluation is proposed which exploits kinematical distributions of elastically scattered protons observed in the RPs. Theoretical predictions, as well as Monte Carlo studies, show that the residual uncertainty of this optics estimation method is smaller than 0.25 percent.

The Bialas–Bzdak model of elastic proton–proton scattering is generalized to the case when the real part of the parton–parton level forward scattering amplitude is nonvanishing. Such a generalization enables the model to describe well the dip region of the differential cross-section of elastic scattering at the intersecting storage rings (ISR) energies, and improves significantly the ability of the model to describe also the recent TOTEM data at [Formula: see text] LHC energy. Within this framework, both the increase of the total cross-section, as well as the decrease of the location of the dip with increasing colliding energies, is related to the increase of the quark–diquark distance and to the increase of the "fragility" of the protons with increasing energies. In addition, we present and test the validity of two new phenomenological relations: one of them relates the total p+p cross-section to an effective, model-independent proton radius, while the other relates the position of the dip in the differential elastic cross-section to the measured value of the total cross-section.

Abstract The TOTEM collaboration at the CERN LHC has measured the differential cross-section of elastic proton–proton scattering at $$\sqrt{s} = 8\,\mathrm{TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mi>s</mml:mi> </mml:msqrt> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>8</mml:mn> <mml:mspace /> <mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> in the squared four-momentum transfer range $$0.2\,\mathrm{GeV^{2}}&lt; |t| &lt; 1.9\,\mathrm{GeV^{2}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>0.2</mml:mn> <mml:mspace /> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>GeV</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> <mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>|</mml:mo> <mml:mi>t</mml:mi> <mml:mo>|</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.9</mml:mn> <mml:mspace /> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>GeV</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> . This interval includes the structure with a diffractive minimum (“dip”) and a secondary maximum (“bump”) that has also been observed at all other LHC energies, where measurements were made. A detailed characterisation of this structure for $$\sqrt{s} = 8\,\mathrm{TeV}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mi>s</mml:mi> </mml:msqrt> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>8</mml:mn> <mml:mspace /> <mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> yields the positions, $$|t|_{\mathrm{dip}} = (0.521 \pm 0.007)\,\mathrm{GeV^2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>|</mml:mo> <mml:mi>t</mml:mi> <mml:mo>|</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mi>dip</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>(</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.521</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.007</mml:mn> <mml:mo>)</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mspace /> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>GeV</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> and $$|t|_{\mathrm{bump}} = (0.695 \pm 0.026)\,\mathrm{GeV^2}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>|</mml:mo> <mml:mi>t</mml:mi> <mml:mo>|</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mi>bump</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>(</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.695</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.026</mml:mn> <mml:mo>)</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mspace /> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>GeV</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> , as well as the cross-section values, $$\left. {\mathrm{d}\sigma /\mathrm{d}t}\right| _{\mathrm{dip}} = (15.1 \pm 2.5)\,\mathrm{{\mu b/GeV^2}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mfenced> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>σ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>t</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mfenced> <mml:mi>dip</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>(</mml:mo> <mml:mn>15.1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> <mml:mn>2.5</mml:mn> <mml:mo>)</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mspace /> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>μ</mml:mi> <mml:mi>b</mml:mi> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>GeV</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> and $$\left. {\mathrm{d}\sigma /\mathrm{d}t}\right| _{\mathrm{bump}} = (29.7 \pm 1.8)\,\mathrm{{\mu b/GeV^2}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mfenced> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>σ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>d</mml:mi> <mml:mi>t</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:mfenced> <mml:mi>bump</mml:mi> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>(</mml:mo> <mml:mn>29.7</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1.8</mml:mn> <mml:mo>)</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> <mml:mspace /> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>μ</mml:mi> <mml:mi>b</mml:mi> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:msup> <mml:mi>GeV</mml:mi> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msup> </mml:mrow> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> , for the dip and the bump, respectively.

Final results of a detailed analysis of p+p elastic scattering data are presented, utilizing the quark–diquark model of protons in a form proposed by Bialas and Bzdak. The differential cross-section of elastic proton–proton collisions is analyzed in a detailed and systematic manner at small momentum transfers, starting from the energy range of CERN ISR at [Formula: see text], including also recent TOTEM data at the present LHC energies at [Formula: see text]. These studies confirm the picture that the size of proton increases systematically with increasing energies, while the size of the constituent quarks and diquarks remains approximately independent of (or only increases slightly with) the colliding energy. The detailed analysis indicates correlations between model parameters and also indicates an increasing role of shadowing at LHC energies. Within the investigated class of models, a simple and model-independent phenomenological relation was discovered that connects the total p+p scattering cross-section to the effective quark, diquark size and their average separation. Our best fits indicate that the relative error of this phenomenological relation is 10–15% in the considered energy range.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has measured proton-proton elastic scattering in dedicated runs at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7, 8 and 2.76 TeV centre-of-mass LHC energies. The proton-proton total cross-section $\sigma_{\rm tot}$ has been derived for each energies using a luminosity independent method. TOTEM has excluded a purely exponential differential cross-section for elastic proton-proton scattering with significance greater than 7 $\sigma$ in the |t| range from 0.027 to 0.2 GeV$^{2}$ at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV. The $\rho$ parameter has been measured at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV via the Coulomb-nuclear interference, and was found to be $\rho$ = 0.12 $\pm$ 0.03.

The TOTEM collaboration has measured the proton-proton total cross section at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with a luminosity-independent method. Using dedicated $β^{*}=90$ m beam optics, the Roman Pots were inserted very close to the beam. The inelastic scattering rate has been measured by the T1 and T2 telescopes during the same LHC fill. After applying the optical theorem the total proton-proton cross section is $σ_{\rm tot}=(110.6 \pm 3.4$) mb, well in agreement with the extrapolation from lower energies. This method also allows one to derive the luminosity-independent elastic and inelastic cross sections: $σ_{\rm el} = (31.0 \pm 1.7)$ mb and $σ_{\rm inel} = (79.5 \pm 1.8)$ mb.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has performed the first measurement at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV of the $\rho$ parameter, the real to imaginary ratio of the nuclear elastic scattering amplitude at $t=0$, obtaining the following results: $\rho = 0.09 \pm 0.01$ and $\rho = 0.10 \pm 0.01$, depending on different physics assumptions and mathematical modelling. The unprecedented precision of the $\rho$ measurement, combined with the TOTEM total cross-section measurements in an energy range larger than 10 TeV (from 2.76 to 13 TeV), has implied the exclusion of all the models classified and published by COMPETE. The $\rho$ results obtained by TOTEM are compatible with the predictions, from alternative theoretical models both in the Regge-like framework and in the QCD framework, of a colourless 3-gluon bound state exchange in the $t$-channel of the proton-proton elastic scattering. On the contrary, if shown that the 3-gluon bound state $t$-channel exchange is not of importance for the description of elastic scattering, the $\rho$ value determined by TOTEM would represent a first evidence of a slowing down of the total cross-section growth at higher energies. The very low-$|t|$ reach allowed also to determine the absolute normalisation using the Coulomb amplitude for the first time at the LHC and obtain a new total proton-proton cross-section measurement $\sigma_{tot} = 110.3 \pm 3.5$ mb, completely independent from the previous TOTEM determination. Combining the two TOTEM results yields $\sigma_{tot} = 110.5 \pm 2.4$ mb.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has measured proton-proton elastic scattering in dedicated runs at s=7and8TeV. The proton-proton total, elastic and inelastic cross-sections were derived with different methods by either using the optical theorem or a luminosity independent method, where the directly measured inelastic and elastic rates are applied. The TOTEM experiment presented its first preliminary cross-sections for soft single and double diffraction at s=7 TeV. The central diffraction analysis is ongoing, including a common TOTEM-CMS analysis. The charged particle pseudorapidity density distribution, dNch/dη, was determined at 7 and 8 TeV.

The TOTEM experiment is dedicated to the measurement of the total proton–proton cross-section with the luminosity-independent method and the study of elastic and diffractive scattering processes. Two tracking telescopes, T1 and T2, integrated in the CMS detector, cover the pseudo-rapidity region between 3.1 and 6.5 on both sides of the interaction point IP5. The Roman Pot (RP) stations are located at distances of ±147 m and ±220 m with respect to the interaction point to measure the very forward scattered protons at very small angles. During the LHC technical stop in winter 2010/2011, the TOTEM experiment was completed with the installation of the T1 telescope and the RP stations at ±147 m. In 2011, the LHC machine provided special optics with the large ß⁎=90 m, allowing TOTEM to measure the elastic scattering differential cross-section, down to the four-momentum transfer squared |t|=2×10−2 GeV2. Using the optical theorem and extrapolation of the differential cross-section to t=0 (optical point), the total p–p cross-section at the LHC energy of s=7TeV could be computed for the first time. Furthermore we measured with standard LHC beam optics and the energy of s=7TeV the forward charged particle pseudorapidity density dn/dη in the range of 5.3<|η|<6.4. The status of the experiment, the performance of the detectors with emphasis on the RPs are described and the first physics results are presented.

The differential cross-section of elastic proton-proton collisions is studied at ISR and LHC energies, utilizing a quark-diquark model, that generalizes earlier models of Bialas and Bzdak, and, in addition, a model of Glauber and Velasco. These studies suggest that the increase of the total pp cross-section is mainly due to an increase of the separation of the quark and the diquark with increasing energies. Within the investigated class of models, two simple and model-independent phenomenological relations were found, that connect the total pp scattering cross-section to the effective quark, diquark size and their average separation, on one hand, and to the position of the dip of the differential cross-section, on the other hand. The latter t(dip) sigma(tot) ~ const relation can be used to predict t(dip), the position of the dip of elastic pp scattering for future colliding energies, and for other reactions, where sigma(tot) is either known or can be reliably estimated.

The TOTEM experiment is dedicated to the measurement of the total proton-proton cross-section with the luminosity-independent method and the study of elastic and diffractive scattering processes. Two tracking telescopes, T1 and T2, integrated in the CMS detector, cover the pseudo-rapidity region between 3.1 and 6.5 on both sides of the interaction point IP5. The Roman Pot (RP) stations are located at distances of ± 147m and ± 220 m with respect to the interaction point to measure the very forward scattered protons at very small angles. During the LHC technical stop in winter 2010/2011, the TOTEM experiment was completed with the installation of the T1 telescope and the RP stations at ± 147 m. In 2011, the LHC machine provided special optics with the large ß* = 90 m, allowing TOTEM to measure the elastic scattering differential cross section, down to the four-momentum transfer squared |t| = 2×10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">−2</sup> GeV <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> . Using the optical theorem and extrapolation of the differential cross section to t = 0 (optical point), the total p-p cross section at the LHC energy of √v = 7 TeV could be computed for the first time. The status of the experiment, the performance of the detectors with emphasis on the RPs are described and the first physics results are presented.

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles dN(ch)/deta is measured by the TOTEM experiment in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV within the range 3.9 &lt; eta &lt; 4.7 and -6.95 &lt; eta &lt; -6.9. Data were collected in a low intensity LHC run with collisions occurring at a distance of 11.25 m from the nominal interaction point. The data sample is expected to include 96-97\% of the inelastic proton-proton interactions. The measurement reported here considers charged particles with p_T &gt; 0 MeV/c, produced in inelastic interactions with at least one charged particle in -7 &lt; eta &lt; -6 or 3.7 &lt; eta &lt;4.8 . The dN(ch)/deta has been found to decrease with |eta|, from 5.11 +- 0.73 at eta = 3.95 to 1.81 +- 0.56 at eta= - 6.925. Several MC generators are compared to the data and are found to be within the systematic uncertainty of the measurement.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC is equipped with near beam movable devices -- called Roman Pots (RP) -- which detect protons scattered at the interaction point (IP5) arriving to the detectors through the magnet lattice of the LHC. Proton kinematics at IP5 is reconstructed from positions and angles measured by the RP detectors, on the basis of the transport matrix between IP5 and the RP locations. The precision of optics determination is therefore of the key importance for the experiment. TOTEM developed a novel method of machine optics determination making use of angle-position distributions of elastically scattered protons observed in the RP detectors together with the data retrieved from several machine databases. The method has been successfully applied to the data samples registered in 2010 and 2011. The studies show that the transport matrix could be estimated with a precision better than 1%.

Proton-proton elastic scattering has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at $\sqrt{s} = 7 $ TeV in special runs with the Roman Pot detectors placed as close to the outgoing beam as seven times the transverse beam size. The differential cross-section measurements are reported in the |t|-range of 0.36 to 2.5 GeV^2. Extending the range of data to low t values from 0.02 to 0.33 GeV^2,and utilizing the luminosity measurements of CMS, the total proton-proton cross section at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is measured to be (98.3 +- 0.2(stat) +- 2.8(syst)) mb.

The Bialas-Bzdak model of elastic proton-proton scattering assumes a purely imaginary forward scattering amplitude, which consequently vanishes at the diractive minima. We extended the model to arbitrarily large real parts in a way that constraints from unitarity are satised. The resulting model is able to describe elastic pp scattering not only at the lower ISR energies but also at p s =7 TeV in a statistically acceptable manner, both in the diractive cone and in the region of the rst diractive minimum. The total cross-section as well as the dierential cross-section of elastic proton-proton scattering is predicted for the future LHC energies of p s =8, 13, 14, 15 TeV and also to 28 TeV. A non-trivial, signicantly nonexponential feature of the dierential cross-section of elastic proton-proton scattering is analyzed and the excitation function of the non-exponential behavior is predicted. The excitation function of the shadow proles is discussed and related to saturation at small impact parameters.

The Bialas-Bzdak model of elastic proton-proton scattering assumes a purely imaginary forward scattering amplitude, which consequently vanishes at the diractive minima. We extended the model to arbitrarily large real parts in a way that constraints from unitarity are satised. The resulting model is able to describe elastic pp scattering not only at the lower ISR energies but also at p s =7 TeV in a statistically acceptable manner, both in the diractive cone and in the region of the rst diractive minimum. The total cross-section as well as the dierential cross-section of elastic proton-proton scattering is predicted for the future LHC energies of p s =8, 13, 14, 15 TeV and also to 28 TeV. A non-trivial, signicantly nonexponential feature of the dierential cross-section of elastic proton-proton scattering is analyzed and the excitation function of the non-exponential behavior is predicted. The excitation function of the shadow proles is discussed and related to saturation at small impact parameters.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has measured proton-proton elastic scattering in dedicated runs at $\sqrt{s}=7$ and 8 TeV centre-of-mass LHC energies. The proton-proton total cross-section $\sigma_{\rm tot}$ has been derived for both energies using a luminosity independent method. TOTEM has excluded a purely exponential differential cross-section for elastic proton-proton scattering with significance greater than 7$\sigma$ in the $|t|$ range from 0.027 to 0.2 GeV$^{2}$ at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV.

The first physics results from the TOTEM experiment are here reported, concerning the measurements of the total, differential elastic, elastic and inelastic pp cross-section at the LHC energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV, obtained using the luminosity measurement from CMS. A preliminary measurement of the forward charged particle $\eta$ distribution is also shown.

First results of a detailed analysis of p+p elastic scattering data are presented from ISR to LHC energies utilizing the quark-diquark model of protons in a form proposed by Bialas and Bzdak. The differential cross-section of elastic proton-proton collisions is analyzed in detailed and systematic manner at small momentum transfers, starting from the energy range of CERN ISR at $\sqrt{s}= 23.5$ GeV, including also recent TOTEM data at the present LHC energies at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV. These studies confirm the picture that the size of protons increases systematically with increasing energies, while the size of the constituent quarks and diquarks remains approximately independent of (or only increases only slightly with) the colliding energy. The detailed analysis indicates correlations between model parameters and also indicates an increasing role of shadowing at LHC energies.

The first physics results from the TOTEM experiment are here reported, concerning the measurements of the total, differential elastic, elastic and inelastic pp cross-section at the LHC energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV, obtained using the luminosity measurement from CMS. A preliminary measurement of the forward charged particle $η$ distribution is also shown.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has measured proton-proton elastic scattering in dedicated runs at √ s = 7 and 8 TeV centre-of-mass LHC energies.The proton-proton total cross-section σtot has been derived for both energies using a luminosity independent method.TOTEM has excluded a purely exponential differential cross-section for elastic proton-proton scattering with significance greater than 7σ in the |t| range from 0.027 to 0.2 GeV 2 at √ s = 8 TeV.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has measured proton-proton elastic scattering in dedicated runs at s=7 and 8 TeV centre-of-mass LHC energies. The proton-proton total cross-section σtot has been derived for both energies using a luminosity independent method. TOTEM has excluded a purely exponential differential cross-section for elastic proton-proton scattering with significance greater than 7σ in the |t| range from 0.027 to 0.2 GeV2 at s=8 TeV. The ρ parameter has been measured at s=8 TeV via the Coulomb-nuclear interference, and was found to be ρ = 0.12 ± 0.03.

The purpose of the Low-$x$ Workshop series is to stimulate discussions between experimentalists and theorists in diffractive hadronic physics, QCD dynamics at low $x$, parton saturation, and exciting problems in QCD at HERA, Tevatron, LHC, RHIC, and the future EIC. The central topics of the workshop, summarized in the current Proceedings, were: Diffraction in ep and e-ion collisions (including EIC physics); Diffraction and photon-exchange in hadron-hadron, hadron-nucleus, and nucleus-nucleus collisions; Spin Physics; Low-$x$ PDFs, forward physics, and hadronic final states. This Workshop has been the XXVIII edition in the series of the workshop.

The proton-proton elastic differential cross section ${\rm d}\sigma/{\rm d}t$ has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at $\sqrt{s}=2.76$~TeV energy with $\beta^{*}=11$~m beam optics. The Roman Pots were inserted to 13 times the transverse beam size from the beam, which allowed to measure the differential cross-section of elastic scattering in a range of the squared four-momentum transfer ($|t|$) from $0.36$~GeV$^{2}$ to $0.74$~GeV$^{2}$. The differential cross-section can be described with an exponential in the $|t|$-range between $0.36$~GeV$^{2}$ and $0.54$~GeV$^{2}$, followed by a diffractive minimum (dip) at $|t_{\rm dip}|=(0.61\pm0.03)$~GeV$^{2}$ and a subsequent maximum (bump). The ratio of the ${\rm d}\sigma/{\rm d}t$ at the bump and at the dip is $1.7\pm0.2$. When compared to the proton-antiproton measurement of the D0 experiment at $\sqrt s = 1.96$~TeV, a significant difference can be observed. Under the condition that the effects due to the energy difference between TOTEM and D0 can be neglected, the result provides evidence for the exchange of a colourless C-odd three-gluon compound state in the $t$-channel of the proton-proton elastic scattering.

The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has performed the first measurement at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV of the $ρ$ parameter, the real to imaginary ratio of the nuclear elastic scattering amplitude at $t=0$, obtaining the following results: $ρ= 0.09 \pm 0.01$ and $ρ= 0.10 \pm 0.01$, depending on different physics assumptions and mathematical modelling. The unprecedented precision of the $ρ$ measurement, combined with the TOTEM total cross-section measurements in an energy range larger than 10 TeV (from 2.76 to 13 TeV), has implied the exclusion of all the models classified and published by COMPETE. The $ρ$ results obtained by TOTEM are compatible with the predictions, from alternative theoretical models both in the Regge-like framework and in the QCD framework, of a colourless 3-gluon bound state exchange in the $t$-channel of the proton-proton elastic scattering. On the contrary, if shown that the 3-gluon bound state $t$-channel exchange is not of importance for the description of elastic scattering, the $ρ$ value determined by TOTEM would represent a first evidence of a slowing down of the total cross-section growth at higher energies. The very low-$|t|$ reach allowed also to determine the absolute normalisation using the Coulomb amplitude for the first time at the LHC and obtain a new total proton-proton cross-section measurement $σ_{tot} = 110.3 \pm 3.5$ mb, completely independent from the previous TOTEM determination. Combining the two TOTEM results yields $σ_{tot} = 110.5 \pm 2.4$ mb.

Functional state and physical conditions of the spine are important contributors in increasing sport performance. The aim of our study was to measure these parameters among tennis players. Our study was placed on a tennis court in Pécs, Hungary from October 2018 till end of January 2019. The sample consisted of volunteer adult tennis players (n=24) who played tennis weekly for at least 5 years. The measurements included the functional condition of the spine on the daily life (Oswestry Disability Index-ODI), balancing ability (Flamingo test), lumbar motor control (LMK), core muscle strength (Plank test), lumbar spinal range of movement (Schober test) and dynamic balance measurement with Y-Balance test (YBT). Characteristics of our sample was 41.88±14.22 years, 176±11 cm, 77.83±15.73 kg. The average number of years spent by playing tennis was 17.92±7.87 years. Medium level correlation (r1=0.48; r2=0.34) were found between number of years spent by playing tennis and the lumbar flexion (6.19±1.77 cm) and lumbar extension (2.29±0.97) range of movement according to the Schober test. The ODI resulted 10.33±6.34% what means minimal disability. Medium level correlations were found between the functional condition of the spine and the static balance ability on the right (2.17±2.57 off-balance/minute, r=0.58) and on the left side (2.13±2.49 off-balance/minute, r=0.49). Several moderate and medium level correlations were found between the dynamic balancing ability and the ODI result, the strongest correlations from these were the posterior direction according to the YBT on the right (r=-0.37) and on the left limb (r=-0.34) too. Medium level correlation (r=0.45) was found between the core muscle strength (70.38±39.2 sec) and lumbar motor control. Based on our results the tennis and its sport specific movements affect the functional state and physical conditions of the spine, accordingly the posterior directional movements are the most unstable movements for tennis players.

We describe an analysis comparing the ${\rm p}\bar{\rm p}$ elastic cross section as measured by the D0 Collaboration at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV to that in pp collisions as measured by the TOTEM Collaboration at 2.76, 7, 8, and 13 TeV using a data-driven approach. The TOTEM cross sections, extrapolated to a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=1.96$~TeV, are compared with the D0 measurement in the region of the diffractive minimum and the second maximum of the pp cross section. The two data sets disagree at the 3.4$\sigma$ level and thus provide evidence for the t-channel exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound, also known as the odderon. We combine these results with a TOTEM analysis of the same C-odd exchange based on the total cross section and the ratio of the real to imaginary parts of the forward elastic strong interaction scattering amplitude in pp scattering for which the significance is between 3.4$\sigma$ and 4.6$\sigma$. The combined significance is larger than 5$\sigma$ and is interpreted as the first observation of the exchange of a colorless, C-odd gluonic compound.