The Components of the $γ^*γ^*$ Cross Section

Abstract

We extend our previous treatment of $γ^*p$ cross section based on Gribov's hypothesis to the case of photon-photon scattering. With the aid of two parameters, determined from experimental data, we separate the interactions into two categories corresponding to short ("soft") and long ("hard") distance processes. The photon-photon cross section, thus, receives contributions from three sectors, soft-soft, hard-hard and hard-soft. The additive quark model is used to describe the soft-soft sector, pQCD the hard-hard sector, while the hard-soft sector is determined by relating it to the $γ^{*}$p system. We calculate and display the behaviour of the total photon-photon cross section and it's various components and polarizations for different values of energy and virtuality of the two photons, and discuss the significance of our results.