Model-Independent Odderon Results Based on New TOTEM Data on Elastic Proton–Proton Collisions at 8 TeV

Abstract

Evaluating the H(x,s|pp) scaling function of elastic proton–proton (pp) collisions from recent TOTEM data at s=8 TeV and comparing it with the same function of elastic proton–antiproton (pp¯) data of the D0 collaboration at s=1.96 TeV, we find, from this comparison alone, an at least 3.79 σ signal of odderon exchange. If we combine this model-independently obtained result with that of a similar analysis but using TOTEM elastic pp scattering data at s=7 TeV, which resulted in an at least 6.26 σ signal, the combined significance of odderon exchange increases to at least 7.08 σ. Further combinations of various datasets in the TeV energy range are detailed in the manuscript.

Keywords

• odderon
• Large Hadron Collider
• TOTEM experiment
• elastic proton-proton scattering
• forward physics
• diffractive scattering of hadrons