Consequences of the Factorization Hypothesis in pbar p, pp, gamma p and gamma gamma Collisions

Abstract

Using an eikonal analysis, we examine the validity of the factorization theorem for nucleon-nucleon, gamma p and gamma gamma collisions. As an example, using the additive quark model and meson vector dominance, we directly show that for all energies and values of the eikonal, that the factorization theorem sigma_{nn}/sigma_{gamma p} = sigma_{gamma p}/sigma_{gamma gamma} holds. We can also compute the survival probability of large rapidity gaps in high energy pbar p and pp collisions. We show that the survival probabilities are identical (at the same energy) for gamma p and gamma gamma collisions, as well as for nucleon-nucleon collisions. We further show that neither the factorization theorem nor the reaction-independence of the survival probabilities depends on the assumption of an additive quark model, but, more generally, depends on the opacity of the eikonal being independent of whether the reaction is n-n, gamma p or gamma gamma.