A parton model for diffractive processes in deep inelastic scattering

We demonstrate that the global properties of the “rapidity gap” events, observed at HERA, can be understood based on electron-gluon scattering as the underlying partonic process. Using the measured inclusive structure function F2 to determine the parameters of the parton model, the diffractive structure function F2d is predicted. The ratio of diffractive and inclusive cross sections, Rd = ΣdΣincl ⋍ 19, is determined by the probability of the produced quark-antiquark pair to evolve into a colour singlet state. This colour singlet cluster may fragment into hadrons independently of the proton remnant, yielding the observed gap in rapidity.