Critical Phenomena in DIS

Abstract

Saturation in deep inelastic scattering (DIS) and deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) is associated with a phase transition between the partonic gas, typical of moderate $x$ and $Q^2$, and partonic fluid appearing at increasing $Q^2$ and decreasing Bjorken $x$. In the statistical interpretation of DIS, the large-$x,(1-x)^n$ factor in the SF is associated with a statistical distribution (perfect gas), while the low-$x$, Regge behaved factor $x^{b(Q^2)}$ produces deviations from the perfect gas and ultimately leads to a gas-liquid phase transition. In this paper we do not intend to propose another parametrization of the structure function; instead we suggest a new insight into the internal structure of the nucleon, as seen in DIS, and its connection with that revealed in high-energy nucleons and heavy-ion collisions.