The Structure of Forward Peak in Elastic and Inclusive Inelastic Diffraction

Abstract

Elastic scattering and inclusive inelastic diffraction of high energy hadrons at small momentum transfers are considered. A general expression for the elastic scattering amplitude in terms of even moments of the probability distribution is presented. We also show that the shape of the forward inclusive inelastic diffraction is determined by elastic scattering in the transition region between the forward peak and diffraction minimum.