A Numerical Estimate of the Small-$k_T$ Region in the BFKL Pomeron

Abstract

A computer study is performed to estimate the influence of the small-$k_T$ region in the BFKL evolution equation. We consider the small-x region of the deep inelastic structure function $F_2$ and show that the magnitude of the small-$k_T$ region depends on $Q^2$ and $x_B$. We suggest that the width of the $\log k_T^2$-distribution in the final state may serve as an additional footprint of BFKL dynamics. For diffractive dissociation it is shown that the contribution of the infrared region is large - even for large $Q^2$. This contribution becomes smaller only if restrictions on the final state are imposed.

15 pages, latex, 9 figures ,revised version, some discussion added, one reference added, two figures removed, final version to be published in Phys. Lett. B