Impact-picture predictions for the $\gamma\gamma$ total cross section at LEP

Abstract

We show that the rising total cross section $\sigma(\gamma\gamma \to hadrons)$ recently observed by the L3 and OPAL Collaborations at LEP are fully consistent with the impact-picture for high-energy scattering. The impact picture is then used to predict this total cross section at higher energies. These experimental results confirm once more the success of the theoretical approach, which predicted for the first time, nearly thirty years ago, the universal increase of total cross sections at high energies.