Zero momentum gluons and the total pp and pp̅ cross-sections

Abstract

In this contribution we describe a QCD motivated model for total cross-sections which uses the eikonal representation and incorporates QCD mini-jets to drive the rise with energy of σ_tot, while the impact parameter distribution is obtained through the Fourier transform of the k_t-distribution of soft gluons emitted in the parton-parton interactions giving rise to mini-jets in the final state. Using a phenomenological ansatz for the behaviour of the strong coupling constant α_s in the infrared region, our model gives a description of the total cross-section in agreement within limits imposed by the Martin-Froissart bound.