Evidence for eikonal zeros in the momentum transfer space

Abstract

We present the results of fitting elastic $pp$ differential cross section data at 23.5 $\le \sqrt{s}\le$ 62.5 GeV with a novel analytic parametrization for the scattering amplitude. Making use of a fitting method, the errors from the free parameters are propagated to the imaginary part of the eikonal in the momentum transfer space. A novel systematic study of the effects coming from data at large momentum transfer is also performed. We find statistical evidence for the existence of eikonal zeros in the interval of momentum transfer 5-9 $Ge{V}^2$.

Comments: Text with 9 pages in Revtex (preprint form), 8 figures in PostScript. Replaced with small changes. Final version to be published in Physical Review D