Abstract.
We investigate the influence of higher twist corrections to deep inelastic structure functions in the low-\(Q^2\) and small-x HERA region. We review the general features of the lowest-order QCD diagrams which contribute to twist-4 at small-x, in particular the sign structure of longitudinal and transverse structure functions which offers the possibility of strong cancellations in \(F_2\). For a numerical analysis we perform a twist analysis of the saturation model which has been very successful both in describing the structure function and the DIS diffractive cross section at HERA. As the main conclusion, twist 4 corrections are not small in \(F_L\) or \(F_T\) but in \(F_2=F_L + F_T\) they almost cancel. This indicates the limitation on the use of the DGLAP formalism at small x and \(Q^2\). We point out that \(F_L\) analysis needs a large twist-4 correction. We also indicate the region of validity of the twist expansion.
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Received: 20 March 2000 / Published online: 9 August 2000
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Bartels, J., Golec-Biernat, K. & Peters, K. An estimate of higher twist at small \(x_{\mathrmB}\) and low \(Q^2\) based upon a Saturation Model. Eur. Phys. J. C 17, 121–128 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s100520000429
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s100520000429