Abstract
Pseudorapidity gap distributions in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7TeV are studied using a minimum bias data sample with an integrated luminosity of 7.1 μbMINUS SIGN 1. Cross sections are measured differentially in terms of Δη F , the larger of the pseudorapidity regions extending to the limits of the ATLAS sensitivity, at η=+-4.9, in which no final state particles are produced above a transverse momentum threshold pcutT.
The measurements span the region 0XY) where the invariant mass of the lighter of the two dissociation systems satisfies M Y < = 7 GeV. The resulting cross section is dσ/dΔη F ALMOST EQUAL TO1 mb for Δη F GREATER-THAN OR EQUIVALENT TO3.
The large rapidity gap data are used to constrain the value of the Pomeron intercept appropriate to triple Regge models of soft diffraction. The cross section integrated over all gap sizes is compared with other LHC inelastic cross section measurements.