Predicting Proton-Air Cross Sections at sqrt s ~30 TeV, using Accelerator and Cosmic Ray Data

Abstract

We use the high energy predictions of a QCD-inspired parameterization of all accelerator data on forward proton-proton and antiproton-proton scattering amplitudes, along with Glauber theory, to predict proton-air cross sections at energies near \sqrt s \approx 30 TeV. The parameterization of the proton-proton cross section incorporates analyticity and unitarity, and demands that the asymptotic proton is a black disk of soft partons. By comparing with the p-air cosmic ray measurements, our analysis results in a constraint on the inclusive particle production cross section.