Structure Function Measurements at HERA and Perturbative QCD

Abstract

New results from the H1 and ZEUS collaborations on the measurement of cross-sections at very high Q^2 (up to 25000 GeV^2) and on the proton structure function F_2(x,Q^2) for momentum transfers squared Q^2 >= 1.5 GeV^2 and Bjorken x >= 3.5 10^{-5} are reported, using data collected at HERA mainly in 1994. No deviations from the Standard Model have been observed at high Q^2 and F_2 is seen to increase significantly with decreasing x, even in the lowest reachable Q^2 region. Comparisons at low Q^2 with fixed target experiments and with models based on pomeron exchange are presented. The F_2 results are well described by a Next to Leading Order QCD fit, and are consistent at the present level of precision with the rise at low x within this Q^2 range generated via the DGLAP evolution equations. The gluon density is extracted and being observed to rise at low x.