Factorization and Scaling in Hadronic Diffraction

Abstract

In standard Regge theory with a pomeron intercept a(0)=1+\epsilon, the contribution of the tripe-pomeron amplitude to the t=0 differential cross section for single diffraction dissociation has the form d\sigma/dM^2(t=0) \sim s^{2\epsilon}/(M^2)^{1+\epsilon}. For \epsilon>0, this form, which is based on factorization, does not scale with energy. From an analysis of p-p and p-pbar data from fixed target to collider energies, we find that such scaling actually holds, signaling a breakdown of factorization. Phenomenologically, this result can be obtained from a scaling law in diffraction, which is embedded in the hypothesis of pomeron flux renormalization introduced to unitarize the triple pomeron amplitude.