Forward Jet Production at small x in Next-to-Leading Order QCD

Abstract

The production of forward jets of transverse energy E_T\simeq Q and large momentum fraction x_jet >> x is calculated in next-to-leading order including consistently direct and resolved virtual photon contributions. The predictions are compared to recent ZEUS and H1 data. Good agreement with the data is found.

Comments: 11 pages, 3 eps figues; text in 2.1 clearified, figure 2 slightly changed; version to appear in Phys. Lett. B