Nonlinearity of Regge trajectories in the scattering region

Abstract

The nonlinearity of Regge trajectories at real negative values of the argument is discussed as their general QCD-inspired property. The processes of elastic diffractive scattering $p+p\to p+p$ and $\bar p+p\to\bar p+p$ at collision energies $\sqrt{s}>23 GeV$ and transferred momenta squared $0.005 GeV^2<-t<3 GeV^2$ are considered in the framework of the Regge-eikonal model \cite{arnold}. By comparison of phenomenological estimates with available experimental data on angular distributions it is demonstrated that in this kinematical range the data can be satisfactorily described as if taking into account only three nonlinear Regge trajectories with vacuum quantum numbers (``soft'' pomeron, C-even $f_2/a_2$-reggeon and $C$-odd $ω/ρ$-reggeon). It is also shown that their nonlinearity is essential and not to be ignored. The correspondence of the Kwiecinski $q\bar q$-pole \cite{kwiecinski} to the secondary reggeons and the relevance of the Kirschner-Lipatov ``hard'' pomeron pole \cite{kirschner} to elastic diffraction are discussed.