Gluon Saturation in the Colour Dipole Model?

Abstract

We use data on the deep inelastic structure function F_2 in order to constrain the cross-section for scattering a colour dipole off a proton. The data seem to prefer parameterisations which include saturation effects. That is they indicate that the strong rise with energy of the dipole cross-section, which holds for small dipoles, pertains only for r < r_s(x) where r_s(x) decreases monotonically as x decreases. Subsequent predicitions for the diffractive structure function F_2^{D(3)} also hint at saturation, although the data are not really sufficiently accurate.